An End to Gods
by purpleblind
Summary: Bleach/Naruto merged into a unique setting, featuring a three-way confrontation between Arrancar, Shinigami, and Shinobi. Prominently features the Uchiha clan; Harribel and her followers; a slightly younger Kyōraku Shunsui, Unohana Retsu in her kempachi incarnation and Shihoin Yoruichi. Ft. Japanese suffixes & naming conventions. Reviews and criticisms much appreciated!
1. Ch 0 - Prologue

**An End to Gods** features a recast of several characters from Bleach and Naruto within a new setting and story. Whilst there has been some changes, their names, personalities (within context of story and background), and themes have been imported virtually intact, excepting that most are more sociable (without necessarily being more personable) than their original counterparts.

_**Disclaimer**__**: 'An End to Gods' is a work of fiction made to entertain, utilising existing characters, concepts, and settings from Bleach and Naruto. I do not, in any way, own them: all rights to the relevant characters and concepts (which are too many to list) belong to their respective creators, Masashi Kishimoto and Noriaki Kubo (a.k.a. Tite Kubo).**_

* * *

Darkness had blanketed the thriving port-city of Aegir, yet the night was young and its denizens continued their lives by torchlight, combing the streets, laughing, revelling, and living as they had for centuries. Their cares were few, for the wealth of the east and the south and the north flowed through their harbours and streets, enriching the citizens, before finding its way across the desert into the other cities of Shennincar. Presiding over this story of success was the immense palatial temple that lay in the very heart of Aegir, a colossal pillar towering in grim majesty over the cosmopolitan city below.

In spite of its immense size, the temple was as vast as it was vacant – the priesthood dwelt upon the lower mezzanine with their servants and guards – the upper levels were only accessible to a few favoured, for it was the abode of a living goddess, or so the human priesthood claimed.

At that moment, those vast empty halls resounded with the sharp echoes of footfalls as two women made their way upwards, traversing through great alabaster chambers of cut marble and polished sandstone. Like their surroundings, the women were similarly garbed in white, which contrasted spectacularly with the dusky statuesque forms of their bodies and served to accentuate rather than conceal, revealing as much as it hid. The foremost woman was easily the most visually arresting, with her messy blonde locks and braids that brushed against bronzed shoulders and brilliant turquoise eyes beneath gilded lashes. There was a vague luminosity about her, as though she were wrapped in a soft nimbus of golden incandescence, though it might have been a trick of the temple's fickle light.

The servant who walked behind her was more amazonian in build, yet no less voluptuous, with the dark waves of her hair brushing close to her waist, but her green eyes were brightly alert, though whether in attention for her mistress or alertness against danger was not clear. Though she might have seemed human, a fist-sized hole that passed cleanly through her torso revealed otherwise.

"Once again, I must repeat my protestations against dealing directly with the barbarians Harribel-sama!" said this one, unable to keep a note of desperation from her voice. "If you are seen to have a hand in this matter–"

"That will be enough Mila Rose," interrupted the golden goddess gently. "I have heard these protestations often enough, but this is a necessary evil, especially in these times. Aegir has become too rich and too decadent. Moreover, we control all the wealth along the western coast, a that fact that has not endeared us with our sister cities in the east, nor has it endowed the citizenry with warlike virtues – if war breaks out, we are likely to be the most unprepared city on the entire continent."

"But surely it won't come to war!" argued Mila Rose.

"The peace we made forty years ago was a forced one and it has always been strained at best; do you really expect it to last given the circumstances? There has been an unrest spreading through land and whilst I do not believe Baraggan to be the instigator of it, he is certainly poised to take advantage of it – even now, his human armies swell to the hundreds of thousands and he gathers the hollow and the arrancar by the thousands to bolster them in numbers even greater than before the Godswar – can there be any doubt that he is intent on conquest?"

"But surely he won't risk rousing the shinigami, and any sign that an Espada is preparing for conquest will unite the shinobi clans like nothing else would," muttered Rose. "My only concern in this whole matter is that if you are seen to have anything at all to do in this matter, you will be branded as accessory, whether you tried to prevent it or not! Let Baraggan start his war and be destroyed with it; do not get dragged into it!"

"Baraggan may be headstrong and arrogant, but I wouldn't think him a fool – there must be something he has found that has given him the confidence to start this," mused Harribel. "Either he has more allies than anyone can guess, or perhaps he has made some secret weapon... perhaps even found some to control the tailed beasts; though I would prefer the former to the latter."

Despite their leisurely pace, they had reached the uppermost floor of the temple; before them stood two enormous stone doors that guarded the Espada's innermost sanctum, and before this, Tier Harribel paused, looking intently at the door. For a while, Mila Rose observed her curiously until at last she spoke: "We shall put off further discussion about this – we have a guest."

"A guest?" replied the dusky amazon uncertainly, looking at the door inquiringly. It would have taken the combined effort of twenty men to force it open, and even so, the amount of noise would have alerted both her ladyship and herself, not to mention Apacci and Sung-Sun who were only a floor or two below.

"One unannounced and unexpected, but not unsought," replied Harribel cryptically. Setting her hands upon handles, she seized them and flung open the great stone portal. The chamber within was semicircular, its outer walls lined with open marble arches and columns that looked down upon the city, nearly a mile below.

Standing at one of these was a woman, her back turned towards the door, her arms folded to judge from her posture. Black hair brushed against her shoulders and back, her bearing that of a fighting woman, clad in black cloth and crimson plates from shoulder to ankle. The opening of the doors to the chamber did not seem to surprise her, for she did not turn to face those who had opened it. Rose's hand began to drift towards her sword.

"Uchiha Saeko, I assume?" Harribel's question was more assertion than query. Beside her, Mila Rose stiffened at the mention of the name.

"As you say," replied the other in the musical tones of a full-grown woman. "You sent word into hills and woods that you wished to discuss certain matters with the head of the Uchiha clan, so here I am; tell your servant to keep away from her sword, or she'll die where she stands."

Rose glowered darkly at the threat, but Harribel gave warning: "There will be no violence of _any_ sort in _my_ sanctuary." Whether she was addressing the intruder or Rose, Harribel did not elaborate. The Uchiha woman turned, revealing full red lips and beautiful features that were touched with arrogance from the ruthless pride of accomplishment. Her dark eyes took the whole room in a single glance – the tinkling crystal fountains, the pools of clear water and the cunningly designed streamlets that fed them – the false goddess was clearly in her element, but Saeko shrugged indifferently.

"Well then, before such unpleasantness can come to pass, tell me what it is you want that required my personal presence – I am certain you know well the proper channels to go through to obtain our services. I have to admit there was curiosity on my part that you would risk enmity with the Hidden Leaf Village by calling on us in such a direct manner; Senju Tobirama works hard to frustrate our clan _and_ it's allies."

Rose grated at her tone, which took no account just _who_ she was talking to and, more so, that she could look at her ladyship straight in the eye without flinching as most humans were wont to – nearly eight hundred years of rule had rendered the arrancar practically divine in the eyes of the greater bulk of humanity, yet the Uchiha barbarians had none of the fear or reverence that others had for these living gods. If any of these thoughts crossed the mind of Harribel, she did not give voice to them, but her eyes narrowed in thought for a short space. "You are mistaken on that account Saeko-dono; my desire was to speak with your father, Uchiha Tajima, in regards to certain sensitive matters of great importance."

The woman turned her head slightly to look at Harribel. Rose tensed without knowing why, but Saeko turned back to the city below, shaking her head regretfully. "Unfortunately, my father died nearly two weeks past now. As his successor, everything that was or would be his fell to me, including the request you sent – that's why I've come. You're lucky Madara was the one who secured father's belongings after his demise; another might have been tempted to read them and–"

"_You?_ If there was a matter of succession, wasn't Uchiha Ryūjin to be next in–" Mila Rose, who had cut Saeko in the midst of her explanation, was herself silenced by a sudden urgent gesture from her mistress. An arrancar could no sooner feel _chakra_ than the shinobi could sense _reiatsu_, but there was no mistaking the sudden black hate that washed over the room in almost palpable waves of rage from the woman at the archway. Rose took a step back in spite of herself.

Saeko turned to face them, her mysterious dark eyes now balefully red with the characteristic sharingan of her clansmen, her arms folded tightly beneath her breasts. "_That_ name will _never_ be mentioned again in my presence," she warned far too curtly to be anything but anger, her voice strained from self control. "That traitor is the reason my father is dead, amongst two score of others; my sister is in a state of near-catatonia, and my youngest brother–"

The Uchiha matriarch bit her lip suddenly, shaking her head angrily in frustration, but Harribel felt she had checked herself against an admission she felt was unwise to reveal. With visible effort, Saeko gathered herself to calm. "I think it right only to warn you that the Uchiha may not be as timely an ally as we have been in the past; these events have forced our hand in... certain matters. Nevertheless, I believe the clan considers Aegir a close ally, a friend even: seven decades of close ties is surely not something to be discounted even if times should grow hard – if we can aid you, then we shall, even if not now, then certainly later."

The Espada of Aegir said nothing, but merely gave her guest a long searching gaze, as though trying to ascertain the other's motives. "It is as you say, Saeko-dono, and for that I am most grateful. The matter at hand is quite... precarious – I would not have directly contacted your father had it not been so – Aegir is in a delicate position and I cannot have it be seen by any that we are trying to tip the balance one way or the other." Rose sighed; her mistress was committed to this dangerous course.

Saeko merely nodded. "It goes without saying that Aegir is in a delicate position: to the east, the self-proclaimed God-King of all Hollow, Barragan, now has troops that number in the hundreds of thousands; in the south, Starrk of Tyr has disappeared, leaving them leaderless and drunk on freedom; to the north-west... well, need I say anything about Ulquiorra's disinterest in the affairs of the land? If you're preparing for conflict Tier Harribel, you had best do so soon, for a mere thousand men-at-arms and a handful of Arrancar are a paltry force to dash against such a storm as Baraggan Louisenbairn intends to march across the Heuco Mundo and into the surrounding lands."

"I do not seek war, Saeko," cautioned Harribel sternly. "Let others needlessly sacrifice comrades and friends for the sake of their own petty glory and stubborn pride – I preserve that which is mine – and right now, what is absolutely necessary now is to stop this war before it even begins. Not to disrespect you or your position as the head of your clan Saeko-dono, but you are too young to remember the Godswar; everyone – Arrancar, Shinigami, Shinobi – were on the verge of being annihilated, for reasons few even care to remember. If another war breaks out this soon, there will be no stopping it: who would now believe in the binding power of treaties so soon broken?"

"I understand fully the import of your words," waved Saeko, "but perhaps you have not understood mine. The concerns and resources of the Uchiha are _elsewhere_ at present; at best we can harass and impede Baraggan, but we cannot offer direct confrontation. If Ryū... if the _traitor_ was still with us, it would be an entirely different matter. I suppose one _could_ convince the Captain-Commander of the Seireitei on the gravity of the threat, but I suspect the old fool would just use it as an _excuse_ to attempt an extermination of all Arrancar – not the resolution either of us seek..."

The Espada sighed as she took a place at the arch beside the Uchiha matriarch and both women gazed down at the city below, perfectly matched in poise and stature side by side, looking down in contemplative silence.

* * *

"How unusual to see you so far away from your station, Shihōin-taichō," murmured the tall dark-haired newcomer as he set foot upon the edge of the building, his pink-flowered kimono settling into place. The woman he addressed did not turn to look at him, but gave a smirk of acknowledgement instead. By comparison, she was much shorter than he, her head only barely on par with the height of his shoulders, and was quite dark of skin. Casually brushing the locks of the purple hair that brushed against her shoulders, her yellow eyes twinkled with amusement as she looked down on the scene below.

"What can I say Kyōraku? I'm pretty sure the _Hakut__ōmon_ isn't likely to see invasion or issue," she shrugged. The Western White Way Gate guarded the way to the Great Ocean in the west over which the shinigami had crossed so long ago to reach this land in pursuit of their foes – in the whole history of _Seireitei_, it was the only one to have never faced invasion. "A girl can only bask in the sun so many times before she gets bored of it, don't you think? What's more, everything that's been worth talking about in Seireitei recently is happening here at the South Gate today."

Kyōraku Shunsui chuckled and turned his eyes towards the _Shuwaimon_, the Southern Red Hollow gate, adjusting his straw hat from habit rather than need. Numerous shinigami of the eleventh division had lined the street in formal manner as they were subjected to a last-minute inspection by their captain and guardian of the South Gate, Unohana Yachiru. Kyōraku couldn't help but give another chuckle: "So you're here to look at your pet project then. How novel it must be for the _Kenpachi_ to play envoy and greet people in _peace_ rather than at the end of her sword, but I supposed there _has_ to be a first time for everything."

Shihōin Yoruichi laughed. "Is that why you're here Kyōraku-taichō? To make sure she doesn't decide to slash down those she's supposed to welcome?"

"By no means. I'm sure she'll do just fine, if not better than most – Unohana-dono's manners are impeccable to a fault. Rather, like yourself, I came here just to watch; there was little reason for me to be in the inner court today after all."

"Is that so?" grinned Yoruichi dubiously. "In other words, Lisa-chan must be mad at you about something or other..."

Kyōraku lowered his straw _sakkat _in a pantomime of embarrassment. "I guess there's no hiding anything from the Head of the _Onmitsukidō_, is there?"

Yoruichi shrugged in response. "Lucky guess, but not an– ah! Here they come."

Past the immense gate of the _Shuwaimon_, a large group could be seen to be making their way over the broken plains, having just quitted the dark forested hills in the distance. They did not come at walking pace as normal humans would have, nor at the mad charge of raiding swarm of Hollows; bent forward at the waist, with arms outstretched, they came at speed in a manner characteristic of the _shinobi_, some one hundred and fifty individuals all told.

"_Yare yare_, I guess they really are barbarians," noted Kyōraku as he stroked his chin. "All on foot for such a formal occasion and not a single horse or palanquin between them – the representatives of the great noble houses look like they're about to have a fit... and it appears that the Konoha delegation came out in force too – I hope they don't have mischief in mind."

"But never mind that: what were you thinking to suggest a plan like this Yoruichi-san? Yama-jii accepted, as did Central 46, after a lot of convincing, but even then only just barely. You're really going to stake your title as the head of your house, the Onmitsukidō, and your division on this? Even I can tell that this is a gamble, pure and simple; one with an uncertain pay off. Already, at the very least, you've greatly decreased the standing of the Shihōin family amongst the other Noble Houses."

For once, there was no humour on Youruichi's part, but neither did she answer. Kyōraku could already see her rerunning her calculations in her mind as she looked down at the approaching party. Not for the first time, he didn't envy her position as head of the Onmitsukidō; however easy going she was, the security of Seireitei couldn't have weighed easily on anyone's shoulders. Sparing another glance, the group was now nearly at the gate, wrapped in dusty brown cloaks, with none of the faces he expected to see and one he did not expect. "Looks like they know how to play this game after all," he chuckled without humour.

"So it seems," agreed Yoruichi. She had hoped that they would acquiesce to the suggestion of sending a number of relatively minor, but strategically important, representatives; rather, from all appearances, they had sent a single individual to replace that list, one important enough that it would allay protestations but not important enough to compromise their position if things went sour. _Still, they must surely realise that whoever they send will effectively become a hostage the moment they enter these walls, don't they? For one so protective, I didn't think he would send one of his own children as a sacrifice.__ Did we miscalculate?_

"Well then, shall we take a closer look at our 'guests'?" Yoruichi didn't wait for a response, but went down to the streets, a single step of her _shunpo_ carrying her the full distance. The rank-and-file shinigami made way for her and Unohana raised an eyebrow at her appearance, but the smaller woman shook her head and waved her off, indicating that she should pay no attention to her presence. Kyōraku was at her side a moment later and they watched as the captain of the _Shuwaimon_ went forward to meet her arrivals.

A quick glance showed that almost all the important members of the Konoha delegation had decided to make themselves known and others besides – the buxom head of the delegation, Tsunade and her pretty pink-haired apprentice, Sakura; the lean silver-haired bodyguard who always hid the lower-half of his face and the yellow-haired hermit boy, neither of whose names immediately came to mind (for Kyōraku was rather poor of memory when it came to remembering men); there were several others as well, including the Hyūga clan princess and her retinue.

"It looks like the reports were right," muttered Yoruichi. Kyōraku followed her gaze and immediately understood her meaning upon seeing the Hagoromo clan crest in addition to the one he expected. That they had been brought along was probably a staunch declaration of unity between the two clans, with the Hagoromo possibly serving as vassals.

Though the Konoha delegation made no comment, the faces of many were too blank and their expressions too wooden to be anything but disapproval – Kyōraku had heard that the separation had been bloody and had cost the lives of several of Konohagakure's most talented shinobi – though there were some who strained their necks with genuine interest. But now a hush fell upon the avenue as the arrivals met with the shinigami captain, and formal bows were exchanged.

The Hagoromo were the first to doff their cloaks, revealing their sombre black garb and gleaming crimson plated armour etched with the clan crest, which was made all the more imposing by their large builds and blunt manner, their appearance quite reminiscent of an armoured samurai, save that they carried no blades but a short sword upon their back. At their back, near the hip, was a small pouch, undoubtedly filled with ninja tools and scrolls.

Now, to their rear, the Uchiha removed their mantles beneath which they wore pristine white robes in perfect mimicry of the Seireitei highest nobility, save for their high-raised collars and their clan crest emblazoned on their backs. In contrast to the heavier Hagoromo, their bodies were lean and hard where visible, with hawkish features and dark predatory eyes. Together, they formed a imposingly impressive entourage whose grim splendour was on par with the stately lustre of the Seireitei patricians; a fact grudgingly and unhappily acknowledged.

"A formidable coterie of ruffians," murmured Kyōraku with a smirk, lowering his hat to hide the amusement in his eyes, and even Yoruichi grinned to see the family representatives of the noble houses unconsciously straighten their hunched shoulders to draw every bit of dignity they could muster, their blasé manner evaporating instantly. _A little competition can sometimes do wonders._ Amongst the elite of Seireitei, the shinobi clans had a reputation for being backwater rustics and had come to look down on what they expected to be a disorganised mob of bedraggled, uncultured barbarians. The disciplined ranks and sumptuous display of opulence had come as an unwelcome surprise to them.

"Welcome to Seireitei, my Lords," began Unohana gracefully, yet her soft, maiden-like manner seemed somewhat at odds with her steely demeanour. "I am Unohana Yachiru, Captain of the eleventh division and Guardian of the _Shuwaimon_. On behalf of the Captain-Commander, the Gotei 13, and Central 46, please allow me to welcome you to Seireitei."

A stately older man of the Hagoromo honour guard stepped forward to accept the welcome and began to offer the account of the retinue when a gentle hand placed upon his shoulder from behind forestalled him. The expression of his face, and several others in the cortège, clearly indicated that this was in deviation of what they had been drilled to do, and, for a moment, even Unohana's interest was piqued at the interruption.

"It's alright Genma, I can speak for myself," came the voice of a younger man from behind, to which Genma acquiesced and stepped aside revealing an Uchiha of modest height and a wild mop of raven hair framing handsome, if ruthless, features. Despite a lack of years, his dark eyes betrayed a shrewd intelligence and cunning not usually found in one who had only just stepped over the threshold of manhood. "On behalf of the Uchiha and Hagoromo clans, I thank you for your welcome Captian Unohana. I am Uchiha Sasuke, and I have come behalf of my clan to humbly accept Seireitei's request for the Uchiha to form a fifth noble house."

"And so the game begins," muttered Kyōraku.

* * *

The great antechamber was largely silent save for the sounds of running water. In the large central pool, Aegir's Espada, Tier Harribel reclined as she looked over the city through the open archways and meditated on the events of the evening amidst the steaming waters now that she was alone. Although more agreeable, Saeko proved no more tractable than her father had been, and with her grief still fresh, she was that much more difficult to deal with.

It was evident that Ryūjin's betrayal had left a far greater scar than the death of her father, and in many ways Harribel could believe it – in the few dealings she had had with him, Ryūjin proved more a mediator and scholar than warrior in temperament, serving to blunt the worst of his father's tempestuous nature during negotiation, and even her _fracci__ó__n_ had managed to find a kind word or two for him. Of course, there was no underestimating the Uchiha who had gained everlasting infamy by killing the Forest God, Senju Hashirama in single combat, hard as it was to believe.

With him gone, was there anyone left of his calibre amongst the Uchiha? As Saeko had bluntly noted, had he been present, they would have felt a lot more confident in tackling the issue that Barragan represented. Now the clan seemed to be drawing distant, choosing to _openly_ deal with the shinigami, though Saeko had assured her that as long time allies of Aegir, she would gladly place their joint interests before any deals they made with the shinigami.

Harribel gave a sigh as she swirled the crystal clear waters with her dusky fingers. Apart from her fracción, she had relied more and more on the Uchiha mercenaries since they first offered their services not long after breaking away from Konohagakure, and in return she had made the venture quite profitable for them. It was _almost_ betrayal of a sort, though _not quite_. Humans had to live in the present, where she potentially had _eternity_ ahead of her.

She had been around for a long time, yet now it seemed that it had all passed in the blink of an eye – the persecution by the shinigami; the crusades to exterminate her kind; Aizen Souske's rebellion that gave them hope, followed by his betrayal of them all and then his death; the exodus that led them across the ocean and onto this, then, new world. For nearly four hundred years thereafter, they had rebuilt and thrived, attaining mastery over the native humans and establishing their dominions, where they were practically worshipped as gods. Then the shinigami crossed the ocean and the war began anew, gaining in intensity with each month that passed, yet that was not the _peak_ of the Godswar.

What had once been a minor cult practising strange ways in the forests and the hills and the mountains, the knowledge and the use of _chakra_ began to spread among the tribal humans. Seventy years after the war started, the first shinobi clans began to coalesce in the north, away from the dominion of the Espada and the reach of the shinigami divisions. And they began to fight. Empowered by their strange abilities, they presented an ever increasing threat, spilling out of the north to clash against hollow and shinigami alike. This was the crux of the Godswar, with a century of unprecedented destruction to the backdrop of a devastating three-way conflict. Then, the awakening and subsequent rampage of the tailed-beasts ended it, forcing the three to set aside their differences and find common causes.

All this, Harribel was aware of without particularly thought towards the matter. It was a _lot_ for a woman to live through, yet now, there seemed to be much more on the dark horizon. With another sigh, she rose slowly, the heavy haze of condensation obscuring her as she made her way to the very centre of the pool. There she waved her arm in a slow, deliberate gesture and from the bottom of the pool, a single pale column, as thick as a man's arm, rose from the water and came to a stop when it was at height with her solar plexus. Another gesture, and the top of the column split open in hovering slices. Harribel reached within and withdrew her hand to reveal a gleaming black orb.

This was the _H__ōgyoku_. It was the only thing she had been able to retrieve from Aizen's corpse before they fled from the west. Such a small thing, the basis of his plans, and eventually his power, but she was without clue to its use. Ever since Aizen's fall, it not longer shimmered within its dark inscrutable depths. It occurred to her that it might have even become completely inert with the death of its master, yet she clung to it in hopes that it might one day be the key to creating the foundation of the peaceful kingdom she desired. As she had done before, she left the pool with it to ponder its use, clothing herself as she did so.

Harribel had only a moment's warning – a sudden and monstrous surge of reiatsu – before the structure about her exploded in a violent eruption of caustic energy, engulfing dust, and flying shards of masonry. In the slowly dissipating cloud, Harribel stood in mid-air – the floor completely blown out from under her feet – her _zampaktō_ in hand, her eyes narrowed as she attempted to discern the indistinct silhouette before her.

The wind blew suddenly, sweeping away the cloud, revealing the starry night sky and its crescent moon as clearly as the figure before her: a man in white and an immense pair of pitch-black wings like those of a bat. Disbelief was quickly replaced by anger and her hand tightened about the hilt of her sword as she straightened from her crouch, her voice as cold and hostile as the lambent green eyes of the one who confronted her.

"What is the meaning of this?" she all but whispered, her voice holding all the menace of a sword being drawn from its sheath. _"Ulquiorra."_


	2. Ch 1 - Dark Undercurrents

**An End to Gods** features a recast of several characters from Bleach and Naruto within a new setting and story. Whilst there has been some changes, their names, personalities (within context of story and background), and themes have been imported virtually intact, excepting that most are more sociable (without necessarily being more personable) than their original counterparts.

**An End to Gods** is **not** about the superiority of the Bleach-verse powers over the Naruto-verse powers and vice-versa.

_**Disclaimer**__**: 'An End to Gods' is a work of fiction made to entertain, utilising existing characters, concepts, and settings from Bleach and Naruto. I do not, in **__**any way**__**, own them: all rights to the relevant characters and concepts (which are too many to list) belong to their respective creators, Masashi Kishimoto and Noriaki Kubo (a.k.a. Tite Kubo).**_

* * *

**1.**

The forest lay largely silent, at least until the passing of several men rushed past beneath the leafy canopy. Well built and hardy, they were uniformly silver of hair and had twin red dots painted upon their brows. Some might have been handsome, but with murderous intent in their eyes and deranged grins tugging at their lips, they presented a disturbingly unwholesome aspect accentuated by occasional giggles that hinted at mental instability. Even so, there was no hesitation or confusion in their manner: they moved with purpose and the clear certainty of task that needed doing.

"Hard to believe they'd leave such an opening in their lines," laughed one of them, who's red band tied upon his brow and his armoured vest identified him as their captain. A chorus of laughs behind him were his answer as they all anticipated the bloody glory of slaughter and bloodshed.

Before they could get further, something crashed through the trees above and struck the sward before them. They hesitated only for a moment before they realised it was only one man who stood his ground, awaiting them with crossed arms. Garbed in the hated black and red of their enemies; he was tall and his wild black hair brushed low against his back; his eyes the hated sharingan on the Uchiha.

Only their leader hesitated, recognition in his eyes, but the rest were either ignorant or too crazed at the sight of a potential victim who smirked at them insolently. Out of bravery, or stupidity, they charged before their captain could restrain them. From their arms and fists, ghastly white bones began to push through their flesh, instantly arming them with weapons and identifying them without doubt as shinobi of the Kaguya clan, inheritors of the _Shikotsumyaku_ bloodline limit.

The first came with a cleaving swipe, only to miss as his target ducked deeply and then he was gasping the remaining moments of his life as he lay on the floor, clutching vainly at his throat. The stranger whirled a short blade in his hand and prepared to receive the hurtling rush of the remaining four.

There was a brief scuffle, heavy panting, and muttered curses, before two of them gave back – on the ground, a second comrade was down and the third was restrained in a powerful grip. This third man was unceremoniously kicked in the back, his flying body colliding with the other two, leaving all three of them in a dazed heap. The stranger did not hesitate or wait, his hands clapping together in a series of seals. Ninjutsu. _Katon: Gokakyu._

An immense ball of fire leapt forward with great suddenness and only one of them managed to avoid it by sacrificing his brothers-in-arms, kicking them off him and into the path of the great fireball. Even so, the explosion that erupted knocked the breath from him and sent him crashing into the ground, coughing and gasping for air as he scrambled for purchase. A foot appeared on the ground before his face, and he looked up in time to see the descending sword, but not in time to avoid it.

As the stranger shook the blood from his blade, the smoke from the explosion above him gave way to a descending assailant – the Kaguya captain – long razor-sharp claws extruding from his fist, striking viciously for a killing blow. Before the claws could touch him, the Uchiha pirouetted on his heel and delivered a punishing kick to the chest that sent him crashing against a nearby rock. As he tried to push himself up, he found edge of the Uchiha's sword pressed against his throat, firmly enough to draw blood.

"Tell me where your main force is hidden," demanded the stranger, his voice deep and unwavering. "Answer and you may just be able to keep your life in exchange."

The Kaguya clansman laughed loud and hellishly. "There is no need to tell such a thing to a dead man!" he roared. Seizing his vest, he ripped it open, revealing a dozen explosive tags that all flared to life. The explosion was so violent that it shattered the rock against which he was pinned completely and the shock-wave tore down several nearby trees, snapping them like matchwood.

The dust cleared, revealing the barest flicker of a wispy blue fire that dissipated even as it came into view. "Honour before life then, I suppose," mused the Uchiha, completely untouched by the devastation. "Do any of the rest of you feel like talking or do you prefer to throw your lives away?"

Behind him, an even larger group of Kaguya shinobi snarled in rage and began to charge like blood-mad wolves.

"Oh well..."

* * *

**2.**

The twilight of evening advanced and the avenue began to clear, leaving a single woman to watch the closing of the immense gate of the _Shuwaimon_ as it was lowered into place to once again safeguard the southern entrance to Seireitei – for the nearly four hundred years of its existence, it had never once been breached, and that woman who stood before it now was the reason. Clad in the black garb of a shinigami, the white haori of a captain was draped upon her with the mark of the eleventh division upon her back, identifying her as Unohana Yachiru, the _Kenpachi_ of the Gotei 13.

With a slender hand, she pushed aside a stray strand of hair from her eye, returning it to the dark cascade that fell past her shoulders. Before the gate could come down completely, her blue eyes flashed to the horizon. There was nothing to see of course, except for the rolling hills in the far distance, but it was what lay far _beyond_ that drew Unohana's attention – the unmistakable feel of an Espada class hollow, two in fact, though the sensation was thin and minuscule from the vast distance that separated the Shennincar from Seireitei.

That she could feel it at all was puzzling. There was no reason to doubt that the Espada might occasionally convene to discuss matters, but that would not explain such an immense release of reiatsu. The last time she had felt an Espada utilise reiryoku to such a degree was... she was immediately aware the pangs of nostalgia. _Are the Espada fighting amongst each other?_ Somehow, it just didn't seem possible.

Like the shinigami, the ranks of the hollow had grown precariously thin compared to the days of old, and even the most hot tempered realised the necessity to conserve and remain on the defensive. The Espada had thus retired with their forces to their cities in the Shennincar along the border of the _Heuco Mundo_, and the shinigami Gotei was reformed into the Gotei 13 that now existed purely to defend Seireitei.

"Unohana-taichō," called a woman's voice from behind.

The gate closed and Unohana turned away to greet the approach of fellow captains Kyōraku and Yoruichi. "Great job at making Seireitei's newest noble family feel welcome, Unohana-taichō," greeted a smiling Kyōraku. "I doubt they'll be able to say they got second-class treatment!"

"_Oh?_" Unohana seemed slightly surprised and somewhat disappointed. "Are you perhaps implying that my welcome was not sincere, Kyōraku-taichō?"

"_I__ë__, i__ë_! Of course not, Unohana-san!" laughed Kyōraku nervously, raising his hands in defence despite the gentle smile on Unohana's face. "I merely meant to say that no one has ever received such an elaborate and formal greeting. If such a thing doesn't make them feel welcome, well, I don't know what will."

"Indeed. Remember, Kyōraku-taichō, without sincerity in one's words, it is almost _impossible_ to make another feel welcome where they are not. Unfortunately, I fear that this will be the only sincere welcome they will find in Seireitei."

"So you're actually happy to have them here, Unohana-san?" asked an amazed, but amused Yoruichi.

"Has this not been the objective of Seireitei all along, Shihōin-taichō – to have the shinobi ally with us against the hollow, now that we are cut off from the west? Of course, it _would_ have been more convenient if the clan had not broken away from Konohagakure, then we need not have dangled the hook of a prestigious place among the nobility to make them bite; don't you agree Shihōin-taichō?"

"Tell me about it," Yoruichi groaned, scrubbing her purple hair. "I hope it doesn't come back to bite me. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of ignoring them when they split from the Hidden Leaf, preferring to work with Konohagakure and assuming they'd just become another stubborn, isolated, prideful clan that would eventually become a casualty of attrition, especially since they resettled in the Sora-ku region, so close to the Shennincar."

"Instead, ten years on, they're a major power in the region; control the most viable trade route between the north and south; _seem_ to have an alliance, or at least an understanding, with at least one Espada; and I even have rumours from reliable sources that they have arrancar joining their ranks to live side by side – _arrancar_ – can you actually believe that? It's common enough for humans and some shinobi to go and live in the Espada controlled cities on the Shennincar, but who ever heard of arrancar accepting a _subordinate_ position to ordinary humans?"

"They can hardly be called ordinary, Yoruichi-san," chuckled Kyōraku. "Between their sharingan, a natural affinity for battle, and exceptional chakras, the difference between them and ordinary humans, even other shinobi, is quite significant. Surely you haven't forgotten how they repelled the invading hollows and our expeditionary forces alongside the Senju during the Godswar period – indeed, their only real rivals were the Senju clan of the Forest, and with Hashirama-dono's death: the Senju wane whilst the Uchiha wax – and they claim the man that killed him, killed the proclaimed God of All Shinobi who kept the influences of the Espada out of the north, in single combat."

Yoruichi sighed as she folded her arms. "And what _do_ we know about Uchiha Ryūjin?"

"Apart from him going rogue? Almost nothing," answered Unohana, to which the heads of Kyōraku and Yoruichi shot up in alarm.

"What? When did this happen?" Yoruichi all but demanded.

"Nearly two weeks ago, at least so Sasuke-dono tells me," replied the older captain as she cross folded her arms into her sleeves. "He killed his father, amongst other clan members and escaped. The Uchiha now have a matriarch: the oldest of Tajima's five children, Uchiha Saeko. That he's gone rogue presents its own set of problems, but also opportunity – Sasuke-kun hinted that Saeko-dono would be _most_ grateful for his capture. Apparently, whether he is captured alive or taken dead is inconsequential to them, so long as he is no longer free to roam as he pleases."

Kyōraku adjusted his hat and Yoruichi bit on the nail of her thumb. The monitoring capabilities of the Onmitsukidō were all but flawless within Seireitei, but outside was another matter. They needed to expand further, which was difficult given their limited numbers, or else have better relations with the shinobi clans outside. Yet, as Unohana had pointed out, it was an opportunity, a chance to boost relations with the Uchiha without spending months, or even years, pandering to them and stroking their ego. "I suppose I'd better–"

"What _is_ that?" asked a surprised Kyōraku. Yoruichi frowned, following his gaze. The captain of the eleventh had already turned towards the horizon in the south-east before either of them had noticed it. Walking unhurriedly to the side door in the _Shuwaimon_, she opened it to look out towards the horizon, though she knew there would be nothing to see there. Yet, in her mind's eye, it was almost as if she expected to see an immense ebon pillar on the skyline.

"Is that... reiatsu?" asked Yoruichi, though Captain Unohana remained silent as she contemplated the riddle. _The density and the scale is on completely different level from anything we've seen before. No. It's not just a matter of scale – it's a completely different sensation._

For nearly a full hour it pulsed and surged before finally fading away, leaving emptiness in its absence.

* * *

**3.**

The window opened to a portrait of the tranquil, cultured backdrop that was the noble quarters of the inner court of Seireitei; wispy clouds drifting lazily against the coming darkness of the night; here and there, cultivated gardens and pristine mansion complexes – everything at peace and everything in its place. Despite this, the watcher at the window was not wholly at ease. Uchiha Sasuke turned at a knock to his door, feeling a small sense of relief as he saw Genma enter.

"Everything seems fine Sasuke-sama: we have more than enough men to ensure the compound is secure, day and night," Genma boisterously announced as he strode into the room, though his tone dropped markedly as he came to stand at the window beside the younger man. "They gave us a smaller residence than the other four noble houses, undoubtedly to remind us of our place, but that has merely turned out to our advantage since we need not spread ours thin to safeguard it."

"I wonder..." grunted Sasuke without humour. "Perhaps they didn't want to antagonise the other houses more than necessary. Despite the Captain's welcome at the south gate, even I can tell that this hasn't exactly been a popular move here."

"Perhaps a bit of both then," Genma grunted in concession as he smoothed his greying beard. "How are you holding up Sasuke? I know this isn't the place you wanted to be. Still, I'd take it as an opportunity to relax a bit, despite the circumstances."

"How can I relax when I know my people are still fighting the Kaguya clan in the east? I should be on the front lines, Genma, together with my clan and family; to be stuck here, playing diplomat whilst others are dying... I cannot even find the words to express my frustration! How am I expected to get stronger in such a place, however vicious the politics may turn out to be."

Before Genma could answer, another tap at his door interrupted the moment followed by a short silence until Sasuke bid the other enter. Genma straightened to take his leave, patting the younger Uchiha on the shoulder.

"Do not fret, Sasuke-sama – there is always opportunity when one looks for it," he offered kindly, but Sasuke felt his calloused hand slip a wedge of paper into the folds of his robe and nodded his acknowledgement to the older Hagoromo. Genma made his exit, acknowledging the newcomer as he left.

"Obito-sama."

"Genma," returned Uchiha Obito. Almost as tall as Genma, Obito was a lean individual with short black hair and a dark blue band covering the empty socket where his left eye had once been. "By the way, Genma; have some of your men take a rest now so that they can be ready for night detail – it will probably be a _very_ long first night for them."

The door closed and Obito made his way to Sasuke, who had moved from view of the windows to read the paper that had been secretly passed to him. Once done, he passed it on and the note was read again, to which Obito grunted, crushing it into a ball when he was done and tossing it into the central fire-pit of the room where it flared brightly for a moment and then was ashes. After receiving a nod from Sasuke, he placed his hand on the other's shoulder.

There was a brief moment of dizziness, followed by a dislocation and skewing of the senses. Sasuke found himself in a twilight place, standing atop a stone block; one amongst many that stretched off into the gloom and, if his eyes could be trusted, rose out of the darkness from unimaginable depths. He had enough time to see Obito spiral out from a single point in the air at eye-level, before the other stood by him.

"How's it looking?" queried Sasuke as he seated himself on the floor.

"About as much as can be expected," snorted the other. "At the end of the day, it's just a nice-looking prison. They're definitely not going to make it easy for us to move around that's for sure. The shinigami's watch dogs are on almost every roof and every window that can look on the mansion. Fortunately, they won't be able to set foot inside it without being seen – Genma's men are in every corner and blind spot, and I even have some of our own on look out as well. And at the end of the day, we still have this place. Give me a moment, I'll be right back."

In the space of three heartbeats, Obito was gone, leaving Sasuke to frown over some private matter. Within the minute, the warping effect resumed, though it was not Obito who came first. Another Uchiha in black, this man was in his prime, tall and his sleeves rolled back to reveal sinewy limbs, with a black lion-like mane of hair that long enough to reach his waist. Moments later, Obito rejoined them. There was a clannish resemblance between all three men, though only Sasuke and the newcomer had some familial resemblance to each other.

"You're looking well Sasuke," chuckled this one as he passed, ruffling Sasuke's hair as he did so.

"Well enough, given the circumstances, Madara-niisama," returned Sasuke as he smoothed his hair back into place. "How's things looking on the front?"

Madara shrugged. "We've all but won. The Kaguya have been pushed back into the forests where they ran afoul of the Konohagakure military again. I hear the conflict was particularly fierce with both sides taking heavy loses. Still, by all reports, they're now weak enough that if we make a large-scale offensive it will be the end for them – we won't even have to attack them – it would just like the Kaguya to go out in a blaze of glory."

"I should be there with everyone."

"You're needed here Sasuke. What's more, the battle is nearly over and if you _were_ to head back, not only will you cause an incident here, all you'll be doing is picking at scraps – the Kaguya clan are past their glory days; you've already been in the best battles we've had with them – now they're just a bunch crazed, desperate animals lashing at anything that comes their way... take my word for it, little brother, their not worth your time anymore."

"Don't be so quick to look for battle Sasuke-kun," interjected Obito. "It rarely goes the way you want it, and even when it does, you still lose something."

"Well, I supposed you'd know," chuckled Madara. Obito mere returned a blank stare, unconsciously touching band over his empty eye.

"What about our contact in Seireitei?" asked Sasuke. "Has Saeko-oneesama informed you on what our strategy with them should be?"

"Yes. _That_ issue." Reaching into a pocket, he removed a thick unmarked envelope which he proffered to Sasuke. "They're spies and information brokers – the _Orochimei_ of the Sound Shinobi has already made her wishes known to us. This envelope will have enough dossiers and intelligence to satisfy her. Not _everything_ she requested, but enough – it would, after all, be imprudent to give them _all_ that they asked for."

"And what does this buy us?" asked Sasuke as he leafed through the contents, his fingers pausing for a moment at a vaguely familiar sight, but went on.

"Alliance and assistance whilst you operate in Seireitei. We don't know of any others who know Seireitei as well as they do – they should prove invaluable – and help you avoid the eyes of shinigami's Onmitsukidō." Madara remained silent for while, mulling over something in his head.

"_Something_ else, niisama?"

"Nothing that I can think of," grinned the older Uchiha. "Take your time on this one Sasuke. A shinobi's talents aren't all in battle after all."

To this, Sasuke scoffed: "That's _rich_ coming from _you_."

Though Madara laughed to this, Sasuke couldn't help but feel that it was to something else that his older brother found amusement. Obito coughed. "Well, there's no changing things now, Sasuke-kun. At any rate, this is a mission directly from Saeko-sama. Don't rush yourself – you're still young – there's time enough to enjoy a life away from fighting, even if briefly. And I'm certain that your time in Seireitei will occupy your attention fully." Now, even Obito bore the semblance of a grin. The two older men were obviously sharing something that they were withholding from him.

"Just a word of advice, Sasuke," said Madara as he finally shook off his humour. "Stay away from the Konoha delegation. Our time with Konohagakure is finished, and our interests are not likely to converge again. I know you were born there, unlike most of us, but it would be best for you to cut ties with them completely."

"I know that already," frowned Sasuke.

"As long as you remember it," nodded Madara.

"Well then," intoned Obito, "shall we get to the matter at hand? Not that I don't find all this sibling banter heart-warming, but we _do_ have several objectives to complete whilst we're here."

From somewhere, Obito produced a broad roll of parchment, that he proceeded to unroll before the other two.

"This is..."

They were looking down upon a large map of Seireitei, cunningly made with intricate detail, upon which much supplementary information of dubious content had been marked.

"An arrival present from the Orochimei; a gesture of good will, to use her own words."

* * *

**4.**

"Harribel-sama!" The voice rang with terrible urgency.

"_Harribel-sama!"_ An echo of the first, Harribel's name was repeated, but the Tercera Espada did not respond from where she hung between Emilou Apacci and Francesca Mila Rose, her loyal _fracción_. Ahead of them, Cyan Sung-Sun led the way, maintaining her _muda_ over them to divert sight from without and conceal their reiatsu from within. Despite being the personal chosen of Aegir's Espada, their movement and progress was slow. All three of them were bruised and battered and missing their left arms, having had to tear them off just to provide a _distraction_ in order to snatch up their mistress. _Little good that did_, thought Apacci bitterly, though Mila Rose would have liked to think it had bought enough time to save their mistress.

"Was that... was that really _Ulquiorra_?" asked Sung-sun uncertainly.

"That bastard!" snarled Appaci. "That _bastard!_ When the hell did he get so powerful? Was he hiding something like that from all of us? How _dare_ he do this! I'll _kill_ the son-of-a-bitch for this!"

"As if you could," grated Mila Rose. "Concentrate of getting her ladyship to safety _before_ you think about going off to commit suicide!"

"Go and get f–" Harribel gave a pained moan and Appaci immediately looked to her with bright eyes, only to realise her mistress had not regained consciousness. She almost wanted to cry. The beating Harribel had taken was appalling, though fortunately no single injury had been instantly fatal, but together... the possibility that she might die yet existed.

Under normal circumstances, Sung-sun would have enjoyed acerbating the tension between the two of them, but the situation was too dire and her strength to maintain the _muda_ was running low. In hindsight, they should have remained cool and stayed out of the fight so that they could conserve their strength to escape with her Ladyship when there was a lull in the battle, but then, there had been no way to know that Ulquiorra would be so powerful... _If only her ladyship hadn't held back to try and preserve the city, then maybe, just **maybe**..._ It was all wishful thinking on her part, and she knew it. The difference in power had simply been too great.

Looking back at Aegir in the distance, the once-proud city had been reduced almost to smouldering rubble against the starry night sky in the battle between the two Espada, its ruin no more complete than if it had been caught in the path of a rampaging _bijū_, as the shinobi clans called the tailed beasts. Whatever it took, they had to leave quickly. Though her barrier concealed reiatsu, if someone as powerful as Ulquiorra came too close, it would be _impossible_ for him to miss them.

Sung-sun's eyes went wide as she felt her reiryoku waver, realising too late that she had been working purely on desperation, using reserves of energy she did not have. Falling to her knees, the shell of her _muda_ burst open, leaving the trio and their mistress terribly exposed. Appaci flinched and looked skyward whilst Mila Rose rose ground her teeth, looking desperately at the fallen Sung-sun, silently willing her to stand up and resume her concealment technique. She wanted to run over and shake the other woman violently, but she and Apacci together were the only things keeping Harribel upright, without which she would have slumped to the ground.

Appaci and Mila Rose gaped, and even Sung-sun was galvanised into raising her head. Neither of them had seen him come, but he stood there before them. It was miraculous, incredible, impossible, yet it was true. Sung-sun slipped her sai-shaped zampaktō free of her voluminous sleeves, cursing inwardly that she didn't even have strength to release it and utilise her _Resurrección_.

"Who the hell are you?" Apacci demanded.

The man did not answer. In the moonlight, they could see that he was garbed in a ragged brown cloak, much like the ones the nomadic desert dwellers wore, though beneath, his clothes were of infinitely greater quality. An unruly shock of long midnight hair framed strong aquiline features that were almost delicate in their aspect, but they noticed his eyes were fixed on them, crimson-hued and of a peculiar luminous quality. And those eyes held theirs like a magnet.

Recognition came so suddenly that the shock to their bewildered senses was like a physical blow to the stomach. Appaci and Mila Rose accused him with the truth, their words tumbling over each other as they gasped.

"Uchiha Ryūjin!"

The other did not answer or deny, his gaze only fixed on the dying Espada they cradled between them, his expression unreadable. They knew instantly she was the reason he had come all the way out here. "_Damn_ you Ryūjin! Are you in league with Ulquiorra?" shouted Appaci in anger and frustration and grief, but again, silence was her only answer.

Then the Uchiha advanced. Sung-sun raised her weapon to attack, but her movements were sluggish from exhaustion, and her stab was more a resigned gesture than the killing stroke she intended. Unsurprisingly, the Uchiha scion flicked it aside almost as an afterthought. The wind blew aside his cloak, revealing a short blade sheathed on the back of his waist. Appaci bristled and Mila Rose snarled, but he paid them no heed as he came to stand before the unconscious Harribel. Sung-sun wondered how anybody with such a gentle face could have possibly killed anyone at all in his life.

"Seems like I came a bit late," he said at last. The fracción's knees gave out from the incredulous realisation that he wasn't going to kill them, collapsing on the ground together. Leaning forward, he caught the unconscious Espada before she could collapse with them, lowering her gently into the arms of her followers.

"_Well then."_ His hand went for his sword and they all froze in shock and horror. They gasped suddenly as the world around them suddenly seemed to distort in a seething haze and the almost unbearable weight of an Espada's reiatsu bore down on them. The fear that they had felt earlier that night was renewed again as they looked back in time to see the Cuatro Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer descend from the sky on great, black, bat-like wings spread behind him in stark contrast to his bleached-white clothes. So terrified of his presence were they now, that the fact that he was no longer in _that_ form did not even bring the smallest pang of relief. Their minds raced for some way, some clue to get them out of this predicament, but finding none, they could only look towards the Uchiha, an S-Ranked criminal in the shinobi bingo books, guilty of patricide, who's present intentions were unknown.

"Uchiha Ryūjin," said Ulquiorra flatly. "This is unexpected. Why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" replied the other, almost cheerfully. Ulquiorra's eyes went over the Uchiha's shoulder to look at his unconscious quarry.

"Step _aside_, Uchiha Ryūjin," commanded Ulquiorra.

"And what if I said 'no'?" replied the other after a moment's pause.

The Espada raised an index finger, pointing it squarely at the Uchiha in a strangely menacing gesture. "It _might_ pique my interest, however _slightly_, to kill the man who slew Senju Hashirama. _Tell_ me, Uchiha Ryūjin – you may have slain a _man_, but can you kill an _Espada_?"

"I _can_," smiled Ryūjin, and for the first time that night, his smile was not pleasant to see. Relinquishing his grip on his sword, he brought his hands together, pressing them flatly before him as though in prayer. "I _can_ do it, and I can do it even now you're in your released state, _even_ if you use that _other_ form of yours."

Ulquiorra's flat expression was everything that was disbelief in the world, though his eyes were cautious. The Uchiha spread his hands suddenly, laughing gently as though he had made a joke.

"At least, that's what I'd _like_ to say," he chuckled, before his good humour faded. "But you know, I think it would impossible for me to do that. Well, at least whilst I'm _protecting_ four people at the same time I should say."

Ulquiorra considered him a moment longer, looking to the Uchiha; the exhausted arrancar and unconscious Harribel; the desert around them and returning his implacable gaze to the human again. And he lowered his hand. Turning, he began to walk away at an angle, back towards the burning Aegir in the distance.

"Weren't you going to fight?" called Ryūjin. "My, my; that's kind of disappointing, but your generosity in letting us go is much appreciated, Espada-san. I suppose the saying that there is some good in everyone is true after all."

Ulquiorra stopped, looking back balefully over his shoulder. "You must think me a fool to face you head on at this point, whilst you're _aware_ of me, Uchiha Ryūjin – an enemy who's abilities are unknown to me, on a battlefield you have obviously _prepared_ beforehand. By your own _admission_, you have _observed_ at least part of, if not _all_ of my battle with Aegir's Espada."

"So it seems you did notice after all," sighed Ryūjin. Ulquiorra turned to leave. "Let's meet again in the future, Espada-san. I think that you and I are _fated_ to fight one another at some point. It _might_ pique my interest, however _slightly_, to kill the only Espada to have achieved the highest form of _Resurrección_ an arrancar can aspire to."

As the Cuatro continued to walk away, Ryūjin turned and went for the Tres Bestias and their fallen mistress, and at that moment, Ulquiorra turned back. Calmly and without reserve, he took aim, a black sphere coalescing at the tip of his finger with a static hiss. _Cero Oscuras._

Ryūjin had enough time to turn and see the seething black lance bearing down on him. There was not enough time to dodge, and even if he could... directly behind him, the fracción flung themselves to cover the unconscious Harribel with their own bodies; the only way to defend their mistress left to them now.

_Know your place, **human**._

In an instant, the black cero was gone with the suddenness of an exposed candle in a gale. Ulquiorra had but time for his eyes to widen in surprise before the counterstroke of his opponent took him. The wide-eyed Appaci, Mila Rose, and Sung-sun saw him vanish amidst the seething black torrent of energy that washed over him from his blind flank. Caught dazed and flat-footed, he was lifted off his feet and carried away by the momentum of the cero.

The silence of the desert was rocked by an explosion of terrifying proportions as thousands of tons of sand were cast high into the sky and over a mile away, the few last standing structures in Aegir were flattened by the sheer fury of the blast.

Ulquiorra slowly picked himself up in the aftermath a few moments later, his clothes ragged, though he himself was almost unharmed. Looking around, only the empty desert met his eyes; Harribel, her fracción, and the Uchiha were gone. He knew that they were beyond his grasp.

For now.


	3. Ch 2 - Meetings and Reunions

**An End to Gods** features a recast of several characters from Bleach and Naruto within a new setting and story. Whilst there has been some changes, their names, personalities (within context of story and background), and themes have been imported virtually intact, excepting that most are more sociable (without necessarily being more personable) than their original counterparts.

**An End to Gods** is **not** about the superiority of the Bleach-verse over the Naruto-verse and vice-versa.

_**Disclaimer**__**: 'An End to Gods' is a work of fiction made to entertain, utilising existing characters, concepts, and settings from Bleach and Naruto. I do not, in **__**any way**__**, own them: all rights to the relevant characters and concepts (which are too many to list) belong to their respective creators, Masashi Kishimoto and Noriaki Kubo (a.k.a. Tite Kubo).**_

**ARC 1 – THE BIRTH OF NEW GODS**

**1\. Darkness Falls Over Seireitei**

The darkness of night began to creep in from the east and the vanishing light of the sun made way for the dawning light of the stars and the moon. It was under such gentle incandescence that those who sought to see a different side to their familiar surroundings ventured forth, whether it was that of a humble village, a sprawling township, or even the citadel of Seireitei. The great inner gate to the mansion creaked open and through it, a troop of men filed past into the courtyard.

Eleven strong, ten of them were men of the Hagoromo. Sasuke turned from the centre of the company to look at the Obito who nodded from the doorway of the mansion. There was only deep shadow beyond the door, but he could feel the eyes of his oldest brother looking at him from within. Behind him, the outer gate awaited. Sweeping the hair from his face, he tightened the cloak about him and wheeled, guiding the men towards the exit, Genma never far from his side. They ignored the litter that had been provided for them and walked out into Seireitei.

"You think he'll be all right?" asked Obito as he watched the younger Uchiha disappear through the gate.

"Sasuke can handle himself if there is trouble," assured Madara as Obito walked past him.

"That's not what I meant," scoffed Obito, to which his senior grunted a reply.

"Well, as to that, every man requires an education at least once in his life."

Obito did not answer immediately and Madara queried him. "The Konoha delegation," Obito clarified, "last I looked, Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura were with it; there was also some others, including Nara Shikamaru and the Hyūga clan's princess, Hinata – all of them were in the academy with Sasuke when we were still part of Konoha. Despite your admonishment for him to stay away, I doubt it will be so easy."

"You doubt my little brother's _resolve_?" parried Madara sharply.

"Not your brother. From your tone, it's clear you don't know the Uzumaki brat very well; you weren't there to see the scene he caused during the welcome ceremony, trying to get to Sasuke. Fortunately, the Haruno girl was there to clobber him into submission, though I could feel she felt the same way. Ha! What a display of brute strength – she's like a second incarnation of Tsunade in her prime, and even has the temperament to match."

This time, it was Madara's turn for silence and though his expression betrayed nothing of his thoughts, Obito could guess. "Do you regret not killing her along with her comrades?" he asked, cutting straight to the matter. "I know you only spared her out respect for your best friend, but you left her quite traumatised – I hear she developed haemophobia as a result – the Tsunade of today is a far cry from Sannin she once was. Of course, the Sannin are practically all dead thanks to you..."

"Then there is nothing to worry about from them," cut Madara, "Tsunade leads them and her will is broken; if they try to interfere, Sasuke will put them in their place."

Obito sighed. Anything that related in some way to Hashirama always seemed to touch a nerve with Madara, though even Obito could not determine the exact cause – was he angry at Ryūjin for killing his best friend, or was he angry at himself for not having the chance to defeat his greatest rival personally? Ever since Hashirama's death, Madara had been pushing himself further and further, growing distant from the clan, and Obito was certain he was now at least on par with Saeko, making them the two strongest Uchiha within the clan. Of course, that was not enough. Not for Madara. At least not until he had killed or surpassed Ryūjin.

Somehow, when no one was looking, the younger brother had surpassed his elders – everyone had expected him to die when he urged his father and comrades to escape whilst he bought time against a pursuing Konoha squad, lead by Hashirama. Near sun down, a battered Ryūjin had returned to the Sora-ku and unceremoniously dumped the body of Senju Hashirama in the middle of the settlement for all to see.

At the time, it had sounded like a dutiful sibling concerned for the safety of his family and prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice a shinobi could make so they might escape, yet in hindsight, especially in light of recent events, Obito could not help but wonder if it had been cunning on his part so that there was no one present to witness the extent of his capability – even to this day, few had any idea as to the true extent of Ryūjin's abilities, other than that he was the second to awaken a Mangekyou sharingan after Saeko, and his talent with fire-based ninjutsu was unsurpassed.

"Darkness has fallen over Seireitei, Obito – I'll be heading out now," said Madara, shaking Obito out of his reverie. "After tonight, we'll know just how authentic the Orochimei's gift really is."

Obito nodded, but quickly turned his back to Madara, making to leave as a murky thought crossed his mind. His sudden exit was arrested as Madara placed a restraining hand on his shoulder: "One thing, Obito. Whilst you are in Seireitei, you are _forbidden_ from recovering your sharingan from Hatake Kakashi whilst he is _within_ its walls; if you do so, there will be little doubt as to where the blame should be placed, if not _who_ to place it on. In fact, as I urged Sasuke, I say to you: stay away from the Konoha delegation."

The empty socket of his eye ached and, for a moment, a sighing image of Tsunade overlapped his vision. Obito wanted to shake the other man off, but acquiesced with a grunt instead.

"Don't get caught," cautioned Obito.

Madara smirked in response. "Remember _who _you are talking to."

He turned back, but Madara was already gone. For some long moments Obito considered what his next course of action should be, weighing the advisability of disobeying Madara's command, before his sharingan began to glow faintly. The air distorted and swirled and Uchiha Obito was also gone.

* * *

**2\. The Road to Many Meetings**

Together with Genma, Sasuke set a winding path through Seireitei's Inner Court under the pretence of disinterested sight-seeing by bored nobility, though in truth, this was to cover their true destination and also served to test the accuracy of the Orochimei's map. Contrary to their expectations, most of Seireitei's ordinary citizens, including the rank and file shinigami and the lesser nobility, seemed to be somewhat in awe of the newest addition to the greater noble houses. If nothing else, it confirmed that only the upper echelons of Seireitei knew about the true nature of the clan's ennoblement.

Although they initially moved through the streets and avenues unimpeded, it didn't take too long before they encountered those who sought to hinder their progress. It was not, however, a rabble of outraged aristocrats or mobs of angry protesters who would occlude their route, as might have been expected; instead, they, or rather, Sasuke, had somehow attracted the attention of every eligible maiden in the Inner Court who knew he was touring. Even Genma's professionalism was broken by an unprofessional smirk as he diplomatically did his best to turn them away. Sasuke kept a position of frosty dignity at their centre, but Genma knew that it only meant that his charge was growing increasingly irritated by the whole affair.

"My my; somebody's popular with the ladies," remarked a woman's voice from behind them with a throaty laugh, and they all turned as one. Shinobi-like, Sasuke began to process her using information he had committed to memory less than three hours past.

_Captain of the Shinigami's 2nd Division and Commander-in-Chief of Seireitei's Onmitsukidō; Shihōin Yoruichi. Presently the 22nd Head of the Shihōin clan, master-class unarmed combatant, and largely regarded as the fastest and most proficient practitioner of the shinigami's version of the Body Flicker, Shunpo._ There was more, all of it flickering through his mind in an instant, but instead he said: "I believe we saw one another during the welcome, though we weren't introduced then. You wear a white haori of the Gotei 13, so I'm assuming you must be one of their captains?"

"I should hope our newest neighbours aren't always so dry and formal," chuckled Yoruichi in response. "You remind me somewhat of Kuchiki Byakuya – perhaps you two might get along winningly, even if it is only to stand side by side, frowning in silence."

"I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with that name," said Sasuke, again feigning ignorance, and attempting to smile at what he believed had been something of a backhanded compliment.

"Our captain of the 6th Division, as well as guardian of the Northern Black Ridge Gate, the _Kokuryōmon–_ ah! And here I am introducing others when you were asking about me!" With a theatrical whirl, the dark-skinned shinigami captain postured in profile with one foot upon a nearby crate as she jerked a thumb at herself to indicate who she spoke of, as though it were not already obvious. "Shihōin Yoruichi! Captain of the 2nd, Guardian of the Hakutōmon, and Seireitei's own Goddess of Flash! Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Several Hagoromo were moved by the display enough to clap and make soft sounds of amazement as if the Gotei captain was sparkling gaudily.

"Well, you certainly are flashy, Yoruichi-dono," noted Genma, clapping politely until the Uchiha looked at him. Sasuke mentally compared her to cat; proud and playful, and, for now, keeping her claws hidden.

"Shihōin?" Sasuke lowered his head to gaze at the ground, pretending to think deeply on the name. "That would make you a member of one of Seireitei's Four Greater Noble houses..."

"Actually, I'm the head of the Shihōin clan," she sighed with a self-depreciating gesture, her enthusiasm dimming a touch as though it were all a burden to her. "And that's the _five_ Greater Nobles houses, Sasuke-kun – or did you already forget the position of your clan?"

"Of course," returned Sasuke flatly. Even coming from a Gotei captain and clan head, he still didn't believe it any more than he had before, but his growing ire largely stemmed largely from the fact that they were being delayed and the Shihōin woman showed no sign of taking her leave any time soon. His eyes suddenly flickered over Yoruichi's shoulder to Genma, who had taken to minding his own business as the two of them spoke. To all appearances, the older man was idly grooming and scratching himself whilst his betters spoke, but Sasuke quickly caught onto the subtle movement of his hands and fingers which formed a covert method of communication the Uchiha and Hagoromo had created between themselves.

The message was clear and understandable, but he glared blackly at the other man. Genma kept his back firmly turned, though he could feel the dark eyes fixed upon him, but at last Sasuke decided to grudgingly relent in favour of the older man's wisdom, whatever it was.

"Yoruichi-san," he began, reading the other man's words, working hard to keep the frustration from touching his voice, "if you don't find yourself particularly busy this evening, we could use some help acquainting ourselves with our surroundings. Perhaps you can show us some places of note, being a long time resident yourself; we–" Genma's fingers flickered indignantly, "– _I_ would be quite grateful for this service."

The Shihōin head was taken somewhat off guard and her expression clearly showed it for an instant; only moments before, she had the distinct impression that her presence was akin to something of a nuisance to the Uchiha scion. But with her innate vitality reasserting itself, she was quick to recover with a sly grin that was equally flirtatious as it was mischievous.

Even in the shinobi world, the captains of the Gotei 13 were people of legendary power and status; between them, they had kept Seireitei safe and inviolate for nearly four hundred years since it's founding. Yet, Sasuke now found himself re-evaluating that formerly lofty opinion as the mauve-haired captain clung to his arm in coquettish manner, her brash and flamboyant manner attracting much more attention than he would have liked as she pointed out the sights and gabbled incessantly. If there was one good side to her presence, it was that she kept the amorous crowds that had plagued them earlier at bay, though it could have been argued that she single handedly made up for that lack of attention.

"Don't look so sour, Sasuke-sama," urged Genma in silent handspeak whenever the Shihōin woman was engaged in exposition. "A lot of men would kill to be in your position right now."

Sasuke brushed aside his hair and straightened his collar, replying in the same manner and at similar moments. "Then by all means old man, you are free to..."

"Tch, such reticence isn't suited to a young man like you. But whatever you do, don't waste this opportunity; though less formal, this captain seems much friendlier and more laid back than the rest we've seen – if you handle this right, you might get her to involuntarily divulge more information than she might otherwise realise."

"And how would I accomplish that?" asked Sasuke with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, there's always _that_... but then again, perhaps it would be too much to hope for from you I suppose? Good grief; what's the use of good looks if you don't _use_ them?"

For a moment, it did seem like Sasuke would loose his composure and reprimand the other man vocally, thus betraying their secret communique, but Yoruichi, in a seeming fit of remembrance, suddenly caught Sasuke's wrist enthusiastically and jerked the him aside at a right angle with such great suddenness that he was yanked off his feet in surprise and the measured tramp of the Hagoromo became confused as they readjusted to follow.

The multitude of buildings, courts and plazas gave way to the green of verdant fields and the carefully cultivated woods of a vast natural park. Ascending a grassy hill until they stood beneath the open night sky, they found themselves looking down on most of the Inner Court; from here, the vastness of Seireitei truly apparent.

"And of course, whilst you're in the Inner Court, don't forget to visit the _Junrinan_ park – one of the most tranquil places in Seireitei and beloved by those looking for some peace and quiet... or a secret rendezvous beneath the stars or in the shade of the trees – you'll be certain to use it frequently whilst you're here, won't you Mr. Popular?"

"I'm afraid I may find myself somewhat occupied," replied Sasuke bluffly as he recovered his standing and straightened his crumpled sleeve. Behind him, Genma gave an exasperated cluck of irritation.

"Oh, come on! Don't be so dull" she laughed, once again gluing herself to his arm, but this time with much greater intimacy than she had previously been want to. "If you're that shy, then you can call me to tag along."

Yoruichi derived great amusement from the situation, laughing loudly at the discomfited youth, whilst Genma slapped his forehead. "Sasuke-sama, I'm afraid you might give Yoruichi-dono the impression that you're uninterested in women," said Genma with mock seriousness.

Before Sasuke could reply to the jab, there was the sudden sound of someone running at great speed. Louder and louder it approached, and they turned in time to see a pink-haired girl come to a sudden halt at the bottom of the hill, almost breathless form her exertions, but her eyes were fixed upon them. All but Sasuke gaped her, amazed by her sudden appearance, to which he merely regarded the entire scene with idle curiosity.

"Sasu... ke-kun?"

* * *

**3\. Team Kakashi Reunites**

"You know, that still kind of hurts, Sakura-chan," complained Naruto as he rubbed the tender bump on his scalp through the mass of his yellow hair. A boy in his late teens, he was of medium height and hardily built, proudly displaying his allegiance to the Hidden Leaf Village with the forehead protector upon his brow over his clear blue eyes. A black and orange jumpsuit completed his attire.

The girl he addressed was similarly aged, though the similarity ended there. Despite her pale green eyes and bright pink hair cut to shoulder length, she presented a seeming air of maturity even if her actions did occasionally smack of the immature, just as they had this very afternoon. Haruno Sakura adjusted the zip of her burgundy _qipao_, her face flushed with a tinge of embarrassment for having let her emotions run away with her as they had, especially with so many people watching. Especially with _him_ watching.

She was certain that had it not been for the shock of seeing Sasuke again, she would have handled the situation far better. That and Naruto's behaviour had just been embarrassing. "Well, someone had to do it," she huffed, refusing to meet his eye. "We were supposed to be on our best behaviour, and there you went storming the barricades. It's probably a good thing I knocked you over the head – the shinigami had drawn their swords and I was pretty sure they were going to slash you if you came any closer."

"But I was really, _really_ surprised Sakura-chan! Weren't you? I mean, it's been nearly ten years..."

Although she wanted to deny it, at that moment it was very hard to do so. Naruto considered Sasuke as his best friend, a brother even, but for Sakura it was something different.

"Of course I was," she finally conceded after Naruto pressed her further, "but that doesn't mean you get cause a ruckus just because–"

Some distance ahead of them, two figures seemed to flash by; not something to really cause suspicion or even rouse attention, but even a momentary glimpse of that outline caught her attention, so attuned was her mind on every facet of that person. One of those two had surely been Sasuke, she was sure of it. Was that... a _woman_ he had been running hand in hand with? She was not aware of Naruto's voice any more than she was aware that she had suddenly set off at a dead run, and even when she did, she could not command her feet stop. Ahead of her, more people dashed by, seeming to be running after the pair.

Coming at full pace, straining every muscle in her body, she pushed past those who were in her way, mumbling half-hearted apologies without stopping, eyes fixed on the spot where she had last seen the pair. As she came around the corner, she skidded, poised to change direction with one hand upon the ground to launch herself forward. An army could not have stopped her from charging and yet it was only the gaze of curious eyes that brought her to halt, all strength draining from her limbs.

On the hill above, he was standing there looking down. Other men, whom she only now recognised as shinobi of the Hagoromo clan stood a short distance away from where Sasuke stood, a brown-skinned, mauve-haired woman clinging to his arm. All of them were looking down at her in surprise, save for Sasuke, who's interest in the matter only seemed so casual.

"Sasu... ke-kun?"

Sasuke held out an arm to prevent a large, bearded Hagoromo from standing between them, waving him back.

"Is that you, Sakura?" The laconic manner in which he spoke had not changed, despite the passing of time. But, the boy she knew had grown into a man during those passing years, standing tall amidst others, though his eyes were harder than she remembered them to be. Now that she had a moment, she even recognised the woman as one of Seireitei's captains. Though she knew that Yoruichi could be something of a tease at times – even Naruto and her mentor, Kakashi, had felt the barbs of her ribbing – even liked her for her exuberance; in conjunction with Sasuke, she felt the sudden stab of rivalry and the wan of insecurity in the presence of the more buxom woman.

_I... I love you Sasuke, I love you with all my heart! If you were to stay here with me, I promise I'll make sure you won't regret it – if we're together, we can go back to those happy days, I swear! I would do anything for you! So please... just stay with me!_

"Sasuke!"

Her reminiscence of a desperate memory was interrupted by the arrival of Naruto, who had also come to sudden stop beside her, his amazement no less great than hers. Above, Sasuke responded no differently than he had to her arrival.

"Naruto?" he observed, more assertion than query. "I take it that Kakashi is here with you then?"

"I'm here," said a silver-haired man coming up from behind Naruto and Sakura. Dressed in the typical attire of a Hidden Leaf shinobi, Hatake Kakashi was generally well recognised for two things: his hidden face, partially obscured by a cloth mask on the lower half and forehead protector pulled down over his left-eye; and his ever-present Icha-Icha book that he always seemed to be reading in his off-hours. In contrast to his two students, Kakashi's manner was as insouciant as that of his former pupil on the hill above.

"Don't have anything to say, Naruto?" said Sasuke, after the silence between the two groups had dragged. "You certainly seemed like you had a lot you wanted to this afternoon, or where you just looking to call attention to yourself as usual?"

"I guess that attitude of yours hasn't changed, no matter where I find you." Naruto's genuine felicity was finally broken by a trace of irritation at the other's tone, though part of him was secretly pleased to see that his friend hadn't changed beyond all recognition. "Don't _you_ have anything to say after all this time, Sasuke?"

"Not really," dismissed Sasuke. "Anything we had to say to each other was already said the last time we met."

Naruto knew that he was referring to their parting fight in the Valley of the End. "And even now, you're still..."

"Don't be naive, Naruto. Still thinking about persuading me to come back to Konoha; just what do you think is _left_ for me there? Are you so single-mindedly selfish about preserving your bonds that you can't see I don't have a future there?"

"That's not true Sasuke! It's not as if every member of your clan left Konoha when you guys split..."

Sasuke's sudden smirk was as vicious as it was sarcastic. "And tell me, do they _prosper_ under Tobirama's _benevolent_ rule?"

Naruto clamped his mouth shut, knowing where this conversation was going. To this, Kakashi interjected: "Tell me, Sasuke, are those your words, or those of your father?"

Any semblance of goodwill that Sasuke seemed to have been willing to show them before evaporated in an instant, leaving only the scowling irritation that they were so accustomed to seeing from him during his last days in Konoha. "Don't speak as though you know everything, my _former_ sensei," he said at last. "There is no point to this exchange, Kakashi; all we're succeeding in doing is wasting each other's time. Instead, perhaps you should instead concentrate on those who still value your opinion."

"Are you serious, Sasuke?" exasperated Naruto. "Do you really want to tell me that nothing we did ever mattered? The village? The friends you had?"

Well aware of the numerous eyes on him, Sasuke looked to his former sensei, and then to Naruto. He looked to Sakura, who's eyes were bright as though on the verge of tears. "Nothing," he said, after a moment's hesitation. Naruto ground his teeth and was about to rush forward when Kakashi barred him with an outstretched arm. Above them, Sasuke disengaged the female captain and turned his back to them, making to leave.

"Sasuke-kun!" It was Sakura, finally making her voice heard. Sasuke, who started to walk away, stopped, though he did not turn to look at her.

"Why does it have to always be this way?" Despite her best efforts, it was hard to keep the distress from her voice and tears from her eyes. "Everyone is just worried about you – even if you had to leave with your clan, you were still born in Konoha – you're not a complete stranger to us! Can't you just put aside your ill-feelings towards the Lord Second whilst you're here and talk to u–"

Sasuke, who partly turned to answer – or to silence – her, disappeared behind the broad shoulders of his chief retainer. Sakura gaped him and Naruto was surprised, but Kakashi's eyes narrowed warily and placed himself between his students and the man. Above, Genma folded his arms on his chest, his face stern and even angry.

"Sakura-dono," he began in a voice that was low and menacing, "you're disturbing Sasuke-sama's peace; why don't you be a good little girl and go back to your compound to meditate on your actions for this night? The same can be said of all of you. If you don't..."

"Calmly, Genma," muttered Sasuke, but the man shook him off and stepped forward before the other could stop him.

"...I may just have to kill all of you right here."

At this point, even Yoruichi, who had continued to feign the part of demure maiden, frowned worriedly, wondering what had provoked such a sudden change in the one she felt was probably the most reasonable of the whole entourage. There was no doubt in her mind that the man intended to make good on his threat – perhaps even intended to see it through whether the Konoha group complied or not. Her hand drifted towards the short zampaktō blade at her side, preparing for the worst; if a fight broke out now, not only would it be a great embarrassment to her, but it would quickly turn into a disaster for all her plans.

"Genma!" Sasuke seized the older man by sleeve and jerked the man to face him, where he met with the full gaze of Sasuke's crimson glare. For a moment, the scene held before it seemed that Genma's strength suddenly gave out and a demented grin that had just started to pull at his lips straightened itself. Genma gave a shaky intake of air and Sasuke released his sleeve to help support him with the aid of another who had rushed in to help. Below, Kakashi relaxed, as did Yoruichi above.

After a few moments, Genma finally shook off the other's aid, rebuffing the concern of his men as they crowded around him with irritation at being caught in a moment of weakness. Stretching his limbs, he once again stood to full height, regaining much of his accustomed composure, shaking his head as though it had all been in jest. "The vagaries of age I suppose," he muttered beneath his breath.

"I think you need to relax once in a while, old man." Despite the admonishment, Sasuke's tone was gentle as he gave Genma's shoulder a light squeeze of reassurance.

Even from where she stood, Yoruichi could see the close bond the two had, and it had been the second time that night she had seen him drop his mask. Casting a quick glance at the group below, she saw that they were still in a state of bewilderment, though Tsunade's pupil had stepped forward, clearly concerned and wanting to ascend the hill despite any danger.

"Sasuke-kun." The Uchiha turned to look at her as she approached. "I guess I'll leave you to enjoy Seireitei's sights; it might be best if I handle your friends below, don't you think? I hope you'll not let this little incident sour your impression."

"Of course not, Shihōin-taichō," assured Sasuke, walking past her to look the base of the hill. "The fault was not yours in the end – in fact, where it not for your presence, I may have returned to my residence without any pleasant memories of this evening at all, and for that I thank you. Well then, if you don't mind, I'll leave them in your care."

Yoruichi arched an eyebrow, then suddenly laughed, though there was no derision in her manner.

"My, my. It seems you _can_ say some nice things on your own without Genma-dono having to give you step by step instructions," grinned the shinigami captain as she made her way past him. His expression at having been found out was quite satisfactory. "Let's walk together again sometime, perhaps without your minder being present?"

"I don't have a minder," he grated, to which Yoruichi laughed merrily as she descended the hill. Sasuke turned to find Genma grinning and giving him the thumbs up. "There's spittle in your beard, old man," he grunted non too gently as he took the lead to bring his entourage back into Seireitei though it did not affect Genma's good humour.

As he walked away, Sasuke quickly came to pass by another Hagoromo, one taller and more heavily built than any of the others, with flaming orange hair. To this one, he whispered lowly, so that Genma might not hear his concern out loud: "Jūgo, keep an eye out on your uncle and make sure that he doesn't overtax himself; help him if you can."

"I'll do what I can Sasuke-sama, but _it_ gets harder to control the older you get," replied Jūgo.

Sasuke nodded and took a final look at his former team below as they were ushered away by the Shihōin woman, her flashy personality easily overriding even such as that of Naruto. He reflected that despite her unpredictability, there was probably a good reason that she was a Gotei captain – as Genma had noted; a useful woman to have on one's side, and likely a dangerous person to have as an enemy.

It was on this rumination that he became aware the gaze of _her_ eyes. With a whirl of his robe, he quitted the crest to rejoin his men, his expression austere but for the vague shadow of smile.

_You're still so annoying._

* * *

**4\. The Shadow and The Blade**

Many only saw what lay before their eyes, though occasionally the astute would turn to look behind just in case, but few ever thought to look above and it was in just such an instance that the flicker of an illusive shadow flitted past from rooftop to rooftop above the heads of the guards in black below. Occasionally, a shinigami would glance up, but, upon seeing nothing, would dismiss that moment of suspicion as little more than the product of an over-active imagination and a tired mind.

At last, that shadow stopped and took a moment to observe the barracks of the 1st Division headquarters. Satisfied with what could be seen, the shadow resumed its journey, though its thoughts now drifted less on Seireitei and more on personal meditations. It took a moment to glance northward, reflecting that Sasuke should have reached the _Kokuryōmon_ – the Northern Black Ridge gate – by now, and from there it would only be a short journey to where they needed to go.

Ahead, the southern wall of Seireitei loomed, though the dark figure foresaw no difficulty in surmounting it – indeed the wall was more ideally suited to keeping reishi-based entities from breaching Seireitei, but for all others, the physical wall itself and the guards posted on it were the only means of keeping them at bay.

With the walls cleared and its sentries none the wiser, it was a clear path towards the forests on the hills beyond and it was only once there that the man took a moment to stand easy. Grinning behind the oval of his featureless porcelain-white mask, he assessed the ease with which he had entered and exited the shinigami's stronghold almost undetected. Of course, it was altogether likely that none but he could have accomplished that feat, though there was now a loose end to tie up.

"It would have been _disappointing_ if it were so easy," he muttered as he loosened the sword on his back.

"I take it that by those words that you noticed you had been followed," said a woman garbed in black and white as she left the shade of a nearby tree, a sword in her hand and the mark of the eleventh division upon her back. Though her face was beautiful, her smile did not match it.

"I'm more amazed that you chose to come out unaccompanied, Unohana Yachiru – were you so eager to fight that you didn't summon any others like you _should_ have. Were you worried they might get in the way of your fight?" The light of the moon now glinted coldly upon two naked swords.

Unohana considered this for only a moment before speaking. "You know who I am, which indicates you are possibly quite familiar with my reputation. Does the fact that you are not already trying to escape indicate that you are quite confident of your skill? That would be quite unusual, but I cannot say it makes me unhappy, after all you are–"

Anything else the Kenpachi of Seireitei might have said was not to be known, for she vanished from sight and a fraction of an instant later landed before the intruder, slashing down swiftly in the same moment. Steel rang on steel as the two blades crashed and recoiled from each other. Unohana now knew without any doubt that the intruder was probably a shinobi – without enhancing their weapons using chakra, her zampaktō would have sheared through it almost without resistance. She permitted herself a thin smile in memory of the early days when the people of this land knew little about chakra or the deadly power of a zampaktō. There had been little battles then, only bloody slaughter...

Ducking deeply, she evaded the counter-swing and stabbed murderously at point-blank, her lips already curving into a smile as she anticipated the fleshy resistance from a strike she could not miss. But even as she struck, the stranger's hand clapped down on her sword arm and the man cartwheeled above her and slashed from behind, even before his foot hit the ground. A few shavings of her hair floated away, but the eleventh division captain rolled cleanly away. "What amazing reflexes you have," she praised. "Or is it something else..."

There was no time for further conjecture as she was rushed, the enemy's blade crashing about her like lightning. Though she remained untouched, she quickly realised that her guard was being drawn higher and higher and what would follow... with infinite skill, she deflected the sudden low thrust with the cap of her hilt and the other leapt back out of reach. Without hesitation, he wheeled and parried as Unohana appeared behind him, their swords striking sparks and for a moment, their blades remained locked.

Of all the people to have ever taken up the sword – hollow, shinigami, or shinobi – Unohana Yachiru was by far the greatest. There was no man or woman, living or dead in the world more thoroughly versed in the lore of swordcraft than she. Yet now she felt the nostalgic pangs of excitement. Though the other was skilled, she was certain his ability was inferior to hers and so he had something that allowed him to fight on equal footing, where another man, even equally talented as he, would have already died thrice over.

"You have unusually fast reflexes, even for a shinobi, or perhaps... is it foresight?" The man did not answer, but her smile broadened as she became certain. "An Uchiha then."

Stalemate gave way to sudden action. Unohana broke the lock and struck even as the stranger dropped something at her feet. Her descending sword cut, shattering his mask and biting deeply into the side of the face beneath though the blow was not fatal as Unohana knew the moment she had struck and felt the deflecting resistance of the mask, but she had the proof she wanted – the red gleam of a sharingan visible through the shattering fragments. Before his identity could be fully revealed, the bomb at her feet burst, shrouding the entire area in smoke.

With an impetuous swing of her sword, the smoke was blown clear from the area and into the surrounding treeline. She half expected him to have already escaped, but he was still there, though he had hastily wrapped his bloodied face. Though he clutched the left side of his face with bloodied fingers, his smile now matched hers.

"As expected of The Kenpachi, Unohana Yachiru. However, I'll have to _pay_ you back for that."

"A bold claim from one so injured, Uchiha-dono." Unohana's voice was soft, but her middle finger gently caressed the edge of her sword, wiping away the blood stains, and, placing it to her lips, licked it clean. It was a gesture frightfully incongruous to her refined beauty and elegant manner, even as it was graceful. "Please forgive me if I find that your claim lacks _surety_."

Despite this, the Uchiha did not waver, not even when her zampaktō began to distort and swell; to grow green and nebulous before finally solidifying into great ray-like creature that glared at him from over its master. If nothing, his grin only seemed to deepen. "A zampaktō in released state? A bit different from what I expected, but then again, it hardly matters at this point."

"Please don't say such cruel things – its been quite some time since I've been in a battle I've enjoyed," explained the Kenpachi. "Surely you'll not _disappoint_ me by doing something rash or foolish and end it all too quickly?"

"There is no need to worry," assured the other with a savage grin. "I'll be certain to leave a _lasting _impression upon you."

* * *

**5\. Into the Den of the Serpent**

"When I can no longer walk by myself, it will be time for me to die!" fumed Genma as he shrugged off his nephew's assistance, tramping off to walk at the head.

"I think he'll be just fine," shrugged JŪgo as he came to Sasuke's side.

"Good to know."

"But less pleasant to hear," noted one of the guard with a grin as a vocal Genma made several inconsequential adjustments to their formation that only served to show his pride had been wounded.

The people around them had changed markedly since they had left the walls of Seireitei and entered the northern Rukongai district. The guards at _Kokuryōmon_ had been hesitant to let them pass, more from protocol, or a lack thereof, than any real issue – the nobility did not generally leave the confines of their lofty districts, much less head into the rougher parts of the neighbourhood.

Sasuke had hoped for a glimpse of the famous Kuchiki Byakuya, but the captain of the 6th had retired for the evening to be with his wife, leaving a crimson-haired lieutenant to handle affairs in his stead; not that the man, whose coiffure gave him the vague appearance of a red pineapple, seemed any more confident about what do than gate's guardians. In the end, all it had taken was a feigned sense of mild outrage followed by the suggestion to return back to the inner court to lodge complains and the way became cleared to them, though when Sasuke had last seen them, it was obvious that they were in a state of deep consternation over the right course of action.

Far livelier than the tranquillity of the inner court, the coming of the evening had brought out an atmosphere of revelry amongst the dwellers of the Rukongai, who, finally wearying of the daily grind, chose to hold carnival by night – here, people could carouse and roar as they liked, for the honest dwellers of Seireitei proper shunned the district. The streets were crooked and unpaved; the edifices of business and home somewhat run down and in an ever-so slight state of disrepair, lending a seedy and furtive air in which the imperious entourage was sorely out of place.

Though the streets twisted and turned, and many corners looked much like the other, Sasuke and Genma navigated them with the assurance of foreknowledge despite taking circuitous routes. And so at last, after hours of forestalling, they finally arrived at their destination.

They had drifted into a more prosperous section of the northern Rukongai, where lanterns were plentiful and the surroundings colourful to a gaudy degree. Though not as meticulously as the Inner and Outer Courts of Seireitei, the ground was paved and would not muddy if it rained. Ahead of them lay an immense building of four stories, in good repair and the sounds of cheer and pleasant company within.

"This is it?" asked Sasuke dubiously.

"So it seems," noted Genma, smoothing his beard, though Sasuke was sure that the gesture was meant to hide a smirk, for the old man's eyes were appraising.

As they approached, two men who stood flanking the entrance stood suddenly to attention as though they had been caught off-guard, staring at the arriving company with a mixture of awe and uncertainty. But if the men were nervous, the multitude of women dressed in lavish finery were roused from torpor within their gilded cage to crowd against the decorative bars excitedly as they gossiped and speculated, pointing and giggling between each other, and some even called Sasuke by name. "Word travels fast," noted Jūgo offhandedly.

Before they arrived at the entrance proper, an old man hobbled out, clearly displeased by the unruliness displayed by the girls and began cursing and kicking at the bars to force some semblance of order with little effect. But then he saw the approaching entourage and he was instantly another man; a kind old grandfatherly figure, frail, balding and all smiles, his tone the epitome of vulnerability and pleasantness – all in sharp contrast to the lusty curses and vigorous kicking he had displayed only moments earlier.

"Oh, good lords! What an unexpectedly pleasure to see your like here; why if only we had know that we would ever receive such venerable company, we would have presented a finer display than this poor rabble – ah, this is the first time we have ever had such distinguished guests and–" He had much more to deliver, clearly intent on not letting such a potential customer escape.

"Just go inside," muttered Genma as the old man was finishing his speech and making to usher them inside. "I'm certain the Orochimei, or one of her agents, will make contact."

"And shinigami's spies?" returned Sasuke.

"The rest of us will 'respectfully' remain outside and throw a cordon around the compound. For the protection of your Lordship, of course. In a sense, meeting at a brothel was a stroke of genius – what else would a young man having a night out on the town be interested in doing when he goes inside? The chances of our true objectives being suspected are slimmer than ever."

"What about my reputation? The reputation of the clan as a whole?"

Genma waved the Hagoromo to take their posts. "Sasuke, you are a _man_. Young, virile, recently ennobled, single and _bored_. Start acting like it, lest people begin to think you have no interest in women but rather in– why, in _my _day, a _real _man would hesitate at no such opportunity to give his–" somewhere within, a serving girl made a misstep and the sound of crashing cutlery was loud, "–thorough employment! _Furthermore,_ in the _prime_ of my years, for my _many_ conquests, I was known as Genma the _Glori_..."

With a gesture of annoyance, Sasuke left him at the entrance, gesticulating in bombastic manner to an absent audience.


	4. Ch 3 - Power and Resolve

**6\. Gold and Glitter, Silk and Scales**

The inside of the brothel was a riot of colour and vibrancy, wherein patrons of obvious wealth were graced by girls of every description of beauty, all enveloped by strum of the samisen, the patter of fountains, and the tinkle of women's laughter. The attestation of opulence was everywhere; in the whirl of crimson and jade and sapphire silks, the rich scent of foreign incense and exotic blossoms wafting from hidden gardens, and the rare polished blackwood inlaid with fine beaten gold. Even with the confined dimensions noted from the outside, the inside of the building seemed much larger and even more spacious.

From the upper levels, the newcomer's entrance was noted by two men of silvered hair. From his own perspective, Sasuke had no instinct to discern between any two people amidst the chaotic rabble of jostling people. Impersonally, he eyed his surroundings with cool distaste, his entire being honed towards different priorities than the circumstances he found himself in. Whilst another man might have had his eye trained to seek out the vivacious vixen or the coy maiden, as suited his tastes, Sasuke made no distinction between the distractions around him.

His slow progress was halted by the appearance of a young greeter, whose dark painted lips, violet powdered eyes, and a straight mop of tarnished-silver hair enhanced the suggestion of androgyny about him. "Welcome to the Ivory House of Nadoko," he bowed, in a soft-schooled voice that gave away nothing except that it was not a girl who was speaking. "If you would follow me my Lord, perhaps we can find you a more suitable place where we can serve you."

Without anything else to go on for the moment, Sasuke nodded his approval and the other ushered him towards the higher levels of the house. He briefly considered what he would do if this detour didn't turn out to be the meeting he hoped it would be, but he didn't have long to consider. The meanderings of his guide took him past a door that was slightly ajar, revealing inside a girl, perhaps one of the brothel's many workers, who was in the process of slipping into her attire of choice for the evening and piling her red hair into the beginnings of an elaborate coiffure.

At the first hint of sound that the door to her room was being opened, she spun like a startled tiger to round angrily on whoever thought to enter without permission. Any protestation she had, quickly died at the sight of Sasuke. From her expression, it was clear that she was trying to decide whether to be incensed or whether she should be embarrassed at the intrusion. Sasuke deduced that she was likely a firebrand, but some measure of submission had been taught to her during her time here.

"Who are you?" he asked, his words only just short of a demand. The girl returned a wide-eyed, incredulous glare and her lips went thin, but she pinched herself hard on the leg, as though in reminder to herself of something.

"I go by the name of Tayuya, my Lord," she offered at last, a little sullenly, eyeing him suspiciously as he continued to approach unchecked until he was only an arm's length away, forcing her to straighten her back to look at him in the eye or retreat, the latter of which she was too proud to do.

"Turn around."

The red-headed girl gaped him. "Wha–"

"You heard me the first time," came the impassive reply. "Turn around."

Her small hands balled into a fist and quivered, and for a moment Sasuke thought she might actually try to take a swing at him, but at last she did as she was told, the trembling in her fist extending to her whole body. It was clear that under ordinary circumstances, she would have removed a few of his teeth first, or tried to at any rate, but in all likelihood, she knew who he was and was probably under orders to avoid antagonising him, which meant he was on the right path. But for now, his meeting with the Orochimei was far from his mind.

Her body went rigid and her fists bunched even tighter as she felt her kimono slipping past the naked curve of her shoulder to hang on her arms close to her waist, her back completely exposed. Doing her best to control her breathing, she closed her eyes tightly as she felt firm fingers in her hair, pushing it aside.

"Where did you get this?"

Tayuya's eyes opened quite suddenly as she felt a finger prod her back lightly between the shoulder blades, where a stylised, flower-like tattoo with blade-like petals lay. The entire dynamic of the situation had changed quite suddenly.

Sasuke was standing directly behind her, but even so, she tried to look out from the corner of her eyes. The tattoo was not something that would stand out – many girls in the house had a variety of colourful designs inked upon their flesh – but she knew that the question was pointed and precise, and that the other already had some idea of what it signified. As she tried to think of an answer, a voice at the door saved her the trouble.

"Already looking to sample the girls of the house, Sasuke-sama?" It was a woman of advanced years who asked the question. Dressed in a gold embroidered black silk obi that covered her from neck to toe, her dark, but lightly greying hair was kept in a neat bun fixed with long, silvered pins. She wore an elaborate eye-patch of black satin and cloth-of-gold over her right eye, and regarded Sasuke with twinkling amusement from the other. Giving two sharp claps of her hand, and red-headed girl frantically flipped her clothes into place and slipped from the room, embarrassment finally catching up to her.

Turning about, Sasuke surveyed her with some interest. She might have been a beauty at one time, but now she was handsome rather than beautiful, though she had managed to preserve her much of her poise and her remaining dark eye was intense and scrutinising. Before he could speak, she raised a hand for silence and beckoned him to follow. A few rooms down the hall, she slid open a door that revealed an empty room with a banquet set out within. The door was closed as he seated himself.

"You're blunter than I expected you to be," she commented as she took cushion on the opposite end of the table and snapped open a yellow fan to cool herself. "_Some_ women might enjoy that, though Tayuya is unlikely to be among that number – I'm surprised she complied as much as she did, though I doubt she could have held her temper for very much longer. Please, do help yourself; the meal was meant for you, after all, Uchiha Sasuke."

"I'm afraid you have the advantage on me there," replied Sasuke, making no move towards the food. "Are we going to dance in loops all night in ceremony or is there a reason my presence was actually required?"

The madam gave a _tsk_ of annoyance, but she smiled like an indulgent headmistress dealing with a vain and prideful student. "I see you're quite new at this youngster, though I will not say I dislike directness from time to time, but etiquette serves a purpose, _if_ you can bear to see it through to the end."

Sasuke made no reply, merely eyeing the woman as she began to fill a pair of tea cups and pushed one in his direction as she sipped appreciatively on her own.

"You are the Orochimei, I take it?"

"Hush," sniffed the madam, her face crinkling as though she had caught scent of something unpleasant. "A name we shan't use here Sasuke-dono. Rather, please, call me Nadoko instead."

"If you prefer."

"I do," she smiled demurely in response. "Since you are a rather forward individual Sasuke-dono, so please permit me the discourtesy of being equally direct myself."

"Allow me to spare you the trouble," answered Sasuke as he reached into the folds of his clothes to pull out the brown packet he had been keeping close all night. Nadoko set down her cup, taking the package and thumbing through its contents, her smile widening with every page she flipped through. "Very good, Sasuke-dono, very good _indeed_. Yes; I believe that the Uchiha and the Hidden Village of Sound will have very _lucrative_ dealings from now on."

"Access to the Great Library of Seireitei," said Sasuke neutrally as he took a sip out of his own steaming cup, though he already had an idea of the answer he'd get, having been forewarned. Nadoko smiled knowingly as well.

"Not a place easily entered, given the sensitive nature of the material it contains, but it has become even harder in recent years to gain access to it." To this, Sasuke queried wordlessly with a raised eyebrow.

"It seems that your clansmen are not the only people with an interest in whatever information lies within. A few years ago, some unknown individuals successfully managed to get in, though whatever they were looking for is anybody's guess. The shinigami were quick clamp down on the place, guarding it more thoroughly than a noble lady's chastity. That didn't stop a second attempt a few months later and, in this instance, blood was spilt and a trail of bodies left. Now, the library is guarded by the entirety of the 7th division – it will take extraordinary effort to get in now."

"Well, I hope that wasn't the offer of an excuse," snorted Sasuke to which Nadoko raised her hands in appeasement.

"I didn't say it was impossible, Sasuke-dono, only that it will be hard. Very hard."

"A project for later then," he frowned after a moment of consideration. "What about the Shinigami's Research and Development Institute?"

Nadoko smiled genuinely for the first time that night, a smile which was not pleasant in any way, except for the delighted implication of mischief to be had. "Now on this, we may talk more successfully, Sasuke-dono. Will you tell me where your interests lie?"

* * *

"Are they still talking?" asked a white-haired youth as he peeked out from around the corner to look at the door, behind which the silhouettes of Nadoko and her guest could clearly be seen, having spoken for over an hour. The greeter with powdered eyes and hair of tarnished silver answered him.

"Obviously so; I wouldn't expect them to be finished any time soon, Suigetsu."

Suigetsu made some vague sound of frustration. "Figures. So what are we supposed to do in the meantime, Sakon?"

"What do mean 'what are we supposed to do'? _We _aren't supposed to be doing anything other than business as usual."

Behind the two men, Tayuya tightened her arms folded beneath her breasts with increasing irritation. "Why are you two even here anyway? Do you idiots even realise what kind of trouble we'd be in if the Orochimei even suspected we were trying to eavesdrop?"

"Well, that's why you're here, isn't it? Your ability to sense chakra is the best in the world – so long as you're here, no one's going to get the drop on us."

"That's _not_ why I'm here, slug!"

"Oh?" Suigetsu grinned. "You've got a good point there. Why _are_ you here then? Was Uchiha Sasuke getting yo–"

The fist that smashed into Suigetsu's face turned his head into a sudden explosion of water, but without apparent effect on him, as a moment later, the destroyed extremity merely reformed into the grinning face it had been only a moment ago.

Tayuya opened her mouth, but Sakon seized her wrist and glared at the two of them. "Do you want everyone to know we're here?" he hissed angrily, shooting a glance at the door. "I swear, you two are like an old married couple."

"Big talk," snarled Tayuya angrily, snatching her hand from his grip. "If this is such a bother for you, get back to your job and go choke on a few–!"

"Is that Sasuke-kun in there?"

So focussed had they been on the argument that they hadn't noticed the presence of a fourth party, until the woman spoke, the shock of being discovered without forewarning causing the trio to leap in fright and tumble to the floor in a heap.

"Ah! Fujiko-san; didn't notice you there," laughed Suigetsu nervously whilst Sakon and Tayuya tried to recover themselves, yet clearly still stunned.

* * *

Inside, Nadoko sighed. "How noisy it is this evening," she noted, looking towards the door, the fanning motions of her hand never missing a beat. "Well... I suppose it's natural – believe it or not, the name of Uchiha Sasuke has been causing a stir in these parts recently. Whether warranted or not remains to be seen though."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" asked Sasuke pointedly, setting his cup down.

Nadoko smiled, placing her own to the table. "As I said previously Sasuke-dono, please do allow me to be blunt: when it was rumoured that Central 46 was going to invite your clan to form a fifth house of nobility here in Seireitei, it caused quite a stir; more than you can possibly imagine, even if everything looks peaceful now – don't allow a few simpering noble girls to give you a false impression. Tempers flared high and one captain nearly lost her post. As I'm sure even you must be aware, the upper echelons of shinigami society look down on the shinobi clans, so you can imagine how flabbergasted the four Great Houses were."

"I'm already well aware that the appointment was not the great honour it appeared to be," came the weary reply. "You're _point_?"

Nadoko snapped her fan closed, looking down on her weathered hand. "The Uchiha are presented with a very unique opportunity, one from which they stand to make significant gains if they play their cards right, but you're house is surrounded by enemies on all sides. Dangerous and _powerful_ enemies at that. Do not take it as a slur on your honour, Sasuke-dono, but frankly, a lot of people had expected... a more _experienced_ head to lead your house through the challenges it will face here. _Perhaps_, you may have hidden facets no one is aware of, but let it be no secret that a great many were looking to someone other than the youngest of Tajima's children."

Opening her fan once again, Nadoko met the other's searching gaze head on. "Your lack of confidence is noted," came the icy reply she expected – outwardly she gave no sign, but inwardly she smiled at how easy it was to read him.

"As I said, Sasuke-dono, do not take it as a slur; rather, see it as an opportunity to surprise. After all, you're father must have had _some_ confidence in you to have selected you for this post."

Nadoko could see her comment had sparked something in the boy, something he swiftly decided was unnecessary to speak about. She was glad he was still transparent enough to read, but it was vexing to know that no amount of coaxing would get him to talk about something he didn't want to and that he was intelligent enough to know when he was being probed, and in what direction he was being aimed at. _The slow, but steady approach will just have to suffice then; there is time enough to work on him and make him more... tractable._

"Will you not eat, my Lord? I assure you there is no need for reservation – my cooks spent hours preparing it; they would be most disappointed to know it went untouched," she gestured at the meal. _He is suspicious. Rightfully so, I suppose._

Picking up a pair of chopsticks, she reached forward for a sliver of fish furthest from herself, and placed it in her bowl and ate with relish. "I can personally guarantee it is uncontaminated," she lied cheerfully. True the food was not poisoned, but rather drugged, though not of a variety that needed be the cause of any true concern, and Nadoko's relish at sampling the taste of the food was unfeigned. When Sasuke reached for the food, she avoided his eyes and continued to serve herself, knowing that her every movement and facial expression was under scrutiny for some sign that something might be amiss. But it was time to cast the young hawk's gaze elsewhere.

"The last time I checked, Captain Mayuri's labs are lightly guarded, but there is surveillance and traps aplenty," she commented casually in response to their earlier discussions. "Nevertheless, he is a conceited man, who believes himself greater than he is."

"Does he still have it?"

"Undoubtedly," Nadoko's chopsticks paused in their work as she considered what she knew. "Ever since it was seized and brought to Mayuri's lab, there has been no information to suggest relocation thereafter."

A long moment of silence followed, wherein Nadoko tried to read the thoughts of her guest. They many, in a tangled myriad, flitting elusively just out of reach. She knew she could not read him until they were better acquainted, but she seized upon one suspicion that she knew must be gathering on his mind.

"May I counsel patience, Sasuke-dono," she offered humbly. "Let the spies of the Ivory House do their task and find out the secrets of Mayuri's little house of horrors. There is no need to rush in poorly informed; in five days, I can promise we'll have something for you and your people to work with by then."

"Five days? What am I supposed to do for five days?"

Nadoko shrugged. "Surely you'll have some functions to attend to? People to meet? Or you could train and prepare yourself as a dedicated shinobi might do. Or relax yourself – would it hurt to simply lie back and enjoy life?"

With a sigh, Sasuke set his empty bowl down. He had eaten conservatively, Nadoko noted, but it was enough. Her guest stood up, straightening his clothes and Nadoko followed his example. "Then we'll meet again in five days time."

"I look forward to it," she assured him, bowing slightly as she slid the door open for him. As Sasuke made to leave, Nadoko's brow furrowed in thought before straightening herself and smiling affably as though in remembrance of a pleasant matter that had slipped her ageing mind. "Forgive me Sasuke-dono. Are you perhaps pressed to attend to matters of any urgency?"

Sasuke paused, one foot outside the room, looking at the woman from the corner of his eye. "Perhaps. Though whether it _is_ important remains to be seen."

"I see," Nadoko noted with a deepening smile. "I see. Perhaps I may convince you to tarry for a while longer?"

"On what account?"

"An embarrassing matter really," bowed the house mother apologetically. "Rumours of your arrival preceded you much in advance I'm afraid, and there is one in particular who has greatly desired to meet you – as I said, a most embarrassing predicament, but I find myself speaking on behalf of the Ivory House's princess and most treasured girl, to offer you an invitation to rendezvous."

"I'm afraid I don't really have time for that." Sasuke made to turn and leave.

"All you have _is_ time, Sasuke-sama. Will you not do this for me? As a favour? The girl is like a daughter to me; I do not look forward to consoling her and wiping her tears if you were to walk away without even so much as looking upon her. I spoke to you earlier on matters of etiquette; please consider this one of those tiresome little situations and humour an old lady."

To this Sasuke scoffed. "A girl in _this_ line of work must already be well inured to disappointments, so you'll forgive me if I find the idea of _your_ favourite breaking down in tears a little hard to believe."

Nadoko sighed as she followed by his side and a little behind. "As I said, Sasuke-sama, the girl is like a daughter to me, but not worthy to be my successor. She is quite innocent by comparison, or at least as innocent as one can be in this profession." A slight, but wicked smile crossed her features for briefest of moments before she resumed her former humility.

"I think every woman is entitled to a little happiness in her life, _especially_ in this line of work, do you not think so? Be her white knight, even if only to let her see you in passing. Look! You are even appropriately dressed! Humour me, my boy, and I will consider this a favour owed – a rare thing to be said of me – see here, she is right behind this door."

They had crossed several rooms, and the stairs to the lower levels was in sight, but Nadoko stopped suddenly and knelt at a door that was seemingly no different from any of the others. This, she slid open and gestured towards the interior with a sweeping motion. Sasuke turned to look inside, but made no attempt to enter. Everything within was simple and elegant, though there was no mistaking the subtle excellence of class. Partway through the room, a large paper divider gave concealment to the other half, and the shadow of a woman could be seen outlined against it, anxiously making adjustments to her attire and piled hair as though she had been caught unawares.

The madam made no more entreaties as she remained knelt upon the ground. Head low, arms outstretched; she allowed the silence to be its own invitation and enticement.

Long moments passed by. Nadoko could feel the weight his gaze on her, boring down on the back of her head, yet still she did not look up, remaining low and parallel to the wooden floor. She wanted to raise her head and read his expressions and mood for some clue, but right now, a show of humility and submission better served the moment.

A delicate sneeze from the girl inside caused a break in the tension and Nadoko grimaced, only to tense up again, a cold bead of sweat running down her neck as the feet in front of her began to move away towards the stairs.

A dozen thoughts ran through Nadoko's mind as she tried to leverage the little she knew of Uchiha Sasuke to give him reasons to stay, and all the while, his feet were approaching the stairs, which, once upon, would undoubtedly mean the loss of any hope of getting him to enter the room. Despite the sly agility of her mind, she felt she was merely grasping at straws with each desperate idea she conjured.

"Sasuke-sama?" It was the soft voice of the girl from inside the room. Nadoko looked inside with surprise, but was even more stunned to see that Sasuke had stopped. His frowning face did not look too promising however. Did he _ever_ have any expression other than dissatisfaction?

It seemed her heart had stopped beating for a few moments as she now felt it again as the young man turned about and walked back, though he stopped in front of the door, pausing again.

"A favour owed," he said sternly.

"A favour owed," assured Nadoko, once again bow low, her forehead touching the ground.

* * *

**7\. The Demon Awakens**

The rapid drumming of feet became louder as a figure raced up the empty hall. Robes of white and pink flashed by as Kyōraku Shunsui made as fast as he could for the door at the end of the corridor. It was unbelievable news to hear that that _The_ Kempachi of Seireitei had been gravely injured in battle. And in these times of peace, such an event seemed even more dramatic to hear of.

Even as he tried to picture the circumstances that could possibly bring such a thing upon Captain Unohana, part of him was also wondered whether it was coincidence that such an event would overlap with the day of arrival of the Uchiha clan? Or perhaps someone wanted to draw suspicion towards them? There were simply too many avenues to take at present without Unohana to narrow it down for them.

"Unohana-taicho!" Kyōraku slid open the door with a bang, only to see Captain Yoruichi before him and then her slender brown fist crashed into his face, sending him pitching to the floor with a loud, heavy thud whilst pinprick stars danced before his dazed eyes for a moment.

"Shunsui, you dolt! What do you think you're doing, barging into a _lady's_ room without _knocking_?" demanded an angry Yoruichi, hands on her hips. Clutching his nose, Shunsui had a moment to catch sight of unclad Unohana standing before a mirror where a tall white-haired girl had been attending to her, before Yoruichi rounded on him and her robes blocked the naked captain from sight.

"It's a misunderstanding!" declaimed Shunsui, raising his arms desperately as it seemed Yoruichi seemed determined to give him another wallop for good measure. "I heard Unohana-taicho's injuries were serious! It just sounded so ridiculous; I had to see it for myself."

"Oh? That's not the only thing that sounds ridiculous," commented the mauve-haired captain as she took a step forward menacingly, her expression amused, disbelieving, and annoyed at the same time. Numerous stories had long since circulated of Kyōraku Shunsui's early days at the shinigami academy as a skirt-chaser.

"No! Seriously, I–"

"There is no need for aggravation, Yoruichi-taichou." It was the voice of Unohana that spoke, sounding as cool and collected as she always did. "I'm quite certain the captain would not have the courage to try what you are suggesting, and his concern was quite genuine, isn't that right Kyōraku-san?"

Shunsui laughed nervously. As was usual, her eloquence always sounded like a veiled threat. "Yes! That's right!"

Yoruichi looked doubtful, but shrugged and let the matter drop, directing the recovering Shunsui to stand outside the door. "So?" she asked, turning to Unohana. "Just how bad is it?"

"As it looks," replied Unohana dispassionately as she examined her wound in the mirror. "Fortunately, I was able to administer healing on the spot, though it meant that the assailant was able to escape in the meantime, though not without some injuries of his own."

"Any clue as to the attacker's identity then?"

For several heartbeats, Unohana Yachiru said nothing as she seemed to collect her thoughts on the matter. "Nothing," she said at last.

Yoruichi stared at the floor in front of her broodingly whilst Shunsui sighed outside. It was a sobering thought to think that there might be someone who was strong enough to inflict a wound this serious on Unohana. Shunsui had long deemed her the second strongest captain in Seireitei after the Captain-Commander himself.

"Will that be all, Yoruichi-taicho?" The question startled Yoruichi for its suddenness, if not blunt directness, but then, the woman was likely fatigued and wished to rest.

"Yes. Of course. But if you should remember anything at all..."

"I'll know where to find you, of course."

"Of course."

Shunsui shut the door behind Yoruichi as she came out of the room and they walked unspeaking for a brief space. It was Shunsui who finally broke the silence. "It's unusual for Unohana-taicho to be unable to remember details; she usually has quite an eye for it."

"True," muttered Yoruichi, a hand on her chin. "I wonder if the shock of being pushed to that extent has left her too stunned for the moment."

"Well, I'd be pretty amazed too, I suppose," conceded Shunsui.

"Whatever the case, we have to find out who did this and what the motive was. If nothing else, we can't let it be seen that the Gotei 13 can't deal with upstarts, especially within our reach."

"The Uchiha clan?" asked Shunsui without expectation.

"First thing I looked into, but the Onmitsukidō report no activity – those who remain at the residence have been quiet, whilst Uchiha Sasuke led a small group on a tour of Seireitei but with no untoward activity. At least nothing such as this, anyway. Hah! The brat even took the opportunity to stop by at a brothel – I wouldn't have thought he had it in him!"

"Really? Then in that case– _ow!_" Shunsui rubbed his nose as Yoruichi withdrew her fist.

"No befriending others based on your _perceived_ joint tastes."

Shunsui sighed and shrugged. "I merely thought it would be good opportunity. At the very least, we can't keep them at arm's length forever, so why not start sooner than later."

"Why so interested in my little project Kyōraku? If it all goes to hell, better that I'm the only person to take the blame for it, and it's already starting to look like it – more than a few people are going to note the coincidence of timing – I'm going to have a full day tomorrow by any account. Still, that's not to say I'm not appreciative of the concern..."

"Wishing that Uruhara-san was here to help you out?" grinned Shunsui slyly.

"Sometimes. Ugh! To think I recommended that bastard for captaincy and then he got promoted above me to Zero Division only a decade later. I'll be sure to give him a good smack if I ever see him again." Despite her words, Yoruichi's grin mirrored that of Shunsui as she reminisced briefly over former times before shaking her head. "I'll have Suì-Fēng start looking into the matter right away and ask Mayuri to lend us some support."

"He will?"

"I can be persuasive when I want to be," chuckled Yoruichi. "But think of it this way – a Gotei captain is attacked by an enemy of which she cannot even recall the slightest detail that might provide a clue to their identity – I don't know about you, but I'm certain Kurotsuchi Mayuri is bound to see that as a challenge to show off his genius."

"Indeed." Shunsui pulled down his straw hat and chuckled at the reasoning.

* * *

"That will be all, thank you, Isane-san," noted Unohana as the white-haired girl beside her moved hesitantly away.

"Are you sure Unohana-taicho? I can–"

"–do little more than make the bandaging thicker." Unohana smiled kindly at the abashed Isane. "Do not worry further about it. Now it merely requires time and patience to heal. You've done as much as you can Isane-san; please thank Tenjirō-taicho for allowing the loan of his lieutenant for such a trivial matter."

When she was finally alone, Unohana turned her attention to the mirror before her. Despite being the shinigami's most accomplished, and most feared warrior, it was surprising to see that the figure reflected was undeniably that of a woman, with soft contours, full breasts, and flawless pale skin. Or at least it had been until less than an hour ago.

Now, she reached up and savagely tore away the bandaging, revealing a deep angry wound just above her collarbone. Though her face was calm and lovely, the constant dull throb of pain made her want to reach for her sword and start to cut things up – part of the reason why she had sent Isane away as quickly as she had.

Strangely, her desire to swing her sword was not accompanied by anger or rage, but by strangely nostalgic pangs of excitement she hadn't felt in a long, long time. The excitement of facing a strong opponent.

Yoruichi had asked if she could remember anything that might give them a clue. There were plenty of details to bring forth, yet, at the same time, nothing truly conclusive to catch the culprit, and only enough to cause trouble for the newly arrived Uchiha. So there was only information that was troublesome to Yoruichi on all fronts and none to any advantage, yet still she might have voiced them had Isane and Shunsui not been present. Investigating at this point would only alienate the Uchiha and cause the assailant to go to ground.

In her mind, she replayed the motions of the battle like a recording; pausing, examining, rewinding, fast-forwarding, pausing, replaying. She might have downplayed his skill just a little bit – even if this Uchiha did have the precognitive power of his ocular abilities to supplement him, that he could do as much as he had and held ground against the likes of her was evidence that he was well-versed in battle.

She looked up in slight surprise to see the image in the mirror was smiling; that she was smiling. Reaching up, she touched the edges of the wound, the motion of which was immediately accompanied by a lance of agony. Though the painful, Unohana had elected not to have Isane completely heal the wound so that there would be no scaring – she wanted it there as a reminder for times to come. Rather than wince, she allowed the pain it wash through her. The muscles in her arms and back tightened. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply and serenely as her fingers clawed and her bare nipples stiffened.

With deft, whip-like motion, she snatched her sword smoothly from its scabbard without touching the latter and slashed in the same motion. The scene hung for a long moment until a flower fell from its vase, cleanly severed from its stalk. Catching the severed blossom before it touched the table, Unohana wandered idly to the open porch, paying little heed to her nudity, inspecting the cut flower against the brilliance of the night sky and the full moon, her blade gleaming coldly in the other hand and the mild breeze of the evening stirring the midnight locks of her long hair. "A messenger that heralds restless times ahead," she said softly, even happily, to no one in particular.

In her mind's eye, she could still see the sparks flying from the clashing of blades she had exchanged that night. The fight had been too short for her liking, undoubtedly because she had become complacent over the years and underestimated her opponent, something she thought she would never do. Still she might have been able to keep on fighting if only she could have healed the wound faster...

Walking out into the garden, she stooped to place the flower in the pond and watched it glide across the water to the other side. As it tapped against the far side, she raised her sword and brought it down slashing, once, then a second time to little effect. Her expression became serene and her eyes focussed sharply. The third slash, delivered with the full effect of her expertise and power, completely blew the water out of the depression and gouged the ground deeply across the length of the pond. The water rained back down and Unohana raised her face to the sky, feeling the cooling droplets fall upon her face and body.

"Unohana-taichō!" Isane had come back, running desperately at the sound of the explosion, only to stop, frozen as she saw the naked figure of the captain approaching her direction, her stride rolling with an unconscious swagger. Unohana Yachiru placed her zampaktō in the lieutenant's hands and walked on past ignoring her, leaving a weak-kneed, shivering Isane standing there clutching the sword in terrified immobility of the expression she had seen – the leering face of a smiling demon – pale, beautiful, and utterly malevolent.

* * *

**8\. Secrets, Truth, and Desire**

Sasuke paused for a moment as the door behind him slid shut before turning his attention to the silhouette on the divider. He wasn't particularly thrilled in any way by this detour, but then, he really didn't have anything better to do for the evening. With the room being as warm as it was, he removed the heavier overcoat, folded it, and placed it at the entrance before proceeding slowly to the other side of the room.

Despite his state of distraction, the beauty of the kneeling girl on the other side of the paper shōji was enough to make him stare. Glossy midnight tresses contrasted sharply with a pale porcelain complexion, white as alabaster, whilst her delicate features complemented bright hazel eyes made golden by the light of the candle and mysterious by the white powdered face and applied purple shades. Her furisode was of finest silk with expertly embroidered cherry blossoms against a green backdrop that gave her a regal air; everything about her appearance seemed cultivated to make men feel protective of her. At his arrival, she turned her heart-shaped face up to meet his and her smile was gentle yet tantalising.

Even so, Sasuke reflected that her beauty was one of craft, like an exquisite vase; titillating the eyes, inviting possession, but eliciting little in the way of an emotional response within him, even despite the swell of her breasts reveal from slightly too-open kimono. Her eyes finally broke from his, only to look him over from head to toe and then to lock with his again, smiling anew and more shyly this time round. Despite this gesture of approval, he wondered silently how genuine it was, or if it were merely something designed and long practised to appeal to the ego of any potential client.

"Will you not be seated, my Lord?"

A small lacquered table had been set out for an impromptu tea ceremony and the only place available was a cushion adjacent to the courtesan, which he sat upon without comment. Despite his calm, if slightly disgruntled manner, he was on his guard, for his first impression of Nadoko was that of a schemer and he doubted that this meeting was one that was merely a gesture of conciliation. Perhaps due to long experience of social pleasantries, the girl seemed to take his aloofness in stride.

"I'm so happy you were able to come my Lord," she cooed softly as she preceded to go through the motions of the tea ceremony before him, her motions expert and precise. "My name is Fujiko, if it pleases you Sasuke-sama. Samadara Fujiko."

"I am merely here at the request of your keeper," he returned with an impassive sigh, to which Fujiko blinked at the directness of the reply. Yet, a moment later, it was Sasuke's turn to look up in surprise as Fujiko covered her mouth with slender fingers and gave a soft, delighted giggle, a response that irritated him – he knew his manner was brusque at any given point, even outright rude, and yet to simply have it shrugged or laughed off was, to him, a lack of dignity on the part of the other – a distasteful abasement simply for the sake of gaining favour.

"Yes, I suppose she does always look out for me," conceded Fujiko cheerily as she resumed whisking the tea. "She really should stop spoiling me, but I am happy that she did so on this occasion; a chance to be with Sasuke-sama is like living a dream!"

Sasuke wasn't particularly flattered and was starting to become disappointed that Nadoko's favourite should be little different from most of the girls he had known all his life – airheaded and enamoured of the superficial – it was probably time to start finding an excuse to leave as soon as was acceptable. Adjacent to him, Fujiko was in the process of finishing with her labours and taking a sip out of the cup to ensure the quality of its contents. Satisfied, she wiped the rim of the bowl and shifted to a more intimate position right against his side, proffering the cup. Sasuke looked dubiously at the cup, tiring of both tea and an evening that was just dragging on with no result, but took it resignedly as he could find no real reason to refuse. Before he could drink, the girl queried him on a matter he had been least expecting.

"My Lord?" Her head came to rest upon his shoulder, her dusky locks close enough that he could smell the light fragrance of her shampoo. "If I may impose; may I ask about Orochimaru-sama directly from you? I heard you were his favourite student when your clan was still part of Konohakagure."

"Why the interest?" he asked without turning looking at her. It was a name he hadn't heard for many years now and had conveniently forgotten about it, given as their paths were unlikely to ever intersect again given that the man was dead, slain at Madara's own hands now almost ten years ago and an event now firmly in the past.

Fujiko's curiosity in the matter seemed slight as she appeared to display greater interest in exploring the seams of his lapels with soft, cool fingers, though she still answered the question. "Perhaps you might not know, my Lord, but Orochimaru-sama is the founder of the Hidden Village of Sound wherein you sit at this very moment; created right under the noses of the shinigami overlords. I have heard much spoken about him and yet I know little. I was hoping to learn more about our founder other than from rumour or hearsay; Nadoko-obasama can be particularly tight lipped or evasive about such trivial matters."

Sasuke considered her words for a long time, looking into his cup as though the answers to his unspoken questions and hers could be found within. "I doubt I could tell you anything that you don't already know," he said at last. "Brilliant, but probably a man who was too obsessed with his personal projects."

Fujiko chuckled in response. "It is strange to hear criticism from you; as his favoured, I would have thought you would have more praise, but it is also refreshing since praise is all that I've ever hear about the Otogakure's founder."

"I take it you heard most of this from Nadoko then?"

"Some," she admitted shyly, "but otherwise I asked around, but since one can't really trust everything you hear from rumour, I inappropriately whispered my heart's wish to Nadoko that I might meet with you someday, Sasuke-sama. As I hear it, you are the one who was longest by his side."

Setting his cup down without drinking, Sasuke wore his displeasure openly on his face; the distraction and the unsubtle flattery was quickly turning odious. Fujiko seemed undaunted, even under the flat gaze of his dark eyes.

He thought about standing up to leave, though a small, savage part of him thought about jerking off her clothes and pressing her there upon the tatami – it was, after all, the likely reason Nadoko had sacrificed some small dignity by bowing to get him in this room, undoubtedly to try and attach a few strings to him by hoping he would become emotionally involved, wasted effort though it was. If nothing else, he could lose his virginity and regain some credit as a man, which, for certain reasons, seemed to have been flagging.

As the muscles in his legs tensed to stand up and leave, Fujiko did so before him, to his mild surprise. Leaning down, she took both his hands in her and helped him to his feet, the smile on her face never wavering like that of a delighted child. Amazingly tall for a girl, their heights were not dissimilar and she was able to look him levelly in the eye.

"Sasuke-sama, do you trust me?" Her hands had tightened slightly and her voice was a shade more serious than she had been all evening, even nervous, yet with no indication of what her present thoughts might be. Irritated by the needless playfulness, Sasuke merely cocked his head in assent, only disinterestedly curious to see where it lead.

Slowly, but without hesitation, she removed the black jacket and draped it over the paper divider, leaving him the under shitagi. Next she removed her own heavier garments and placed it over his before moving to extinguish the lanterns in the room. Placing a finger over his lips to caution silence, she went over to a nearby bookcase where she fidgeted about, though looking for something. A few moments later, an audible 'click' was heard before the case sank into the wall and moved aside on oiled sliders.

"Not all the workers of the Ivory House are as ignorant of it's secrets as Nadoko-dono would like," she muttered, more to herself than for Sasuke's benefit, but soon turned a smiling face to him. "Would Sasuke-sama like a more _intimate_ tour of the Ivory House?"

For himself, Sasuke looked between the girl and the doorway yawning blackly in the wall, his interest finally piqued and his estimation of the girl finally rising. The chance to glean information about a potentially dangerous ally had never found him wanting and for once he felt no irritation towards the girl clinging on his arm as he made to enter.

"We won't be missed?"

To his question, Fujiko looked meaningfully at their hanging clothes, her coy gaze adding meaning to their artfully placed position in the darkness of the room. "I think no one would dare come in so long as Sasuke-sama does not come out."

The darkness swallowed the both of them as the bookcase slid back into place.

For few long minutes, they paced slowly down the darkness of the corridor towards a small glimmer of faint light at the end. "The majority of the Hidden Sound lies beneath the northern Rukongai as much as I can tell; one vast network of tunnels with interspersed rooms hidden throughout – I have sneaked through the upper levels often enough to be familiar, but not those below. But up here, many of the tunnels eventually lead to buildings and hideouts on the surface; again, most in the Rukongai, though I hear say that some even lead to into Seireitei itself."

"And the shinigami are unaware of this?" asked Sasuke somewhat incredulously as it seemed impossible that such an extensive space should not be known, even if only in rumour. Nevertheless, if it _were_ true, it would certainly open up some useful possibilities...

"I... I am uncertain," replied Fujiko after a moment, clutching tighter as though finding the shadows and oppressive silence menacing. "I would have imagined that if so, the shinigami would have put an end to to before now. Or else those in the know are well-bribed – I'm afraid only Nadoko-obasama would know the full detail of such things."

"Do you know exactly _who_ Nadoko is?" he challenged, trying to get the feel of how much involvement the girl had in the matter.

To this, Fujiko seemed to fret over it, as though racking her mind to find an answer to show she could be useful. "I know she is the madam of the Ivory House, has been so since I was a child, but as for her exact involvement... I'm afraid I do not know Sasuke-sama. She occasionally holds meetings with outsiders, but I am never close enough to know what they discuss..."

They passed a few rooms, some filled with weapons and shinobi tools, yet others were empty and their purpose, or former purpose, mysterious. "It looks like a preparation for war," commented Fujiko when they glanced inside those with armaments. Sasuke grunted, but offered no opinion of his own.

"Does no one come down here often," he commented on the lack of encounters.

"Rarely this far out; should we venture closer to the centre, we are likely to meet people – if we are discovered, I think that Nadoko-obasama would be somewhat angry, though, as her honoured guest, you would unlikely to be punished."

"And you?"

Fujiko shrugged slightly with a self-depreciating smile. They walked for a while longer in silence; Sasuke paying attention to their surroundings and the girl paying attention to him. If anyone was paying attention to them, they were somehow managing keeping a discreet distance or else these tunnels were as deserted as Fujiko suggested them to be. Though she held close, she suddenly released him as she clapped her hand in delight.

"I remember this area," she said suddenly, beaming at him. "Come! Let me show you something amazing."

Skipping ahead of him, Sasuke had to quicken his pace or find himself left behind. They stopped before a heavy, iron-bound door. Fujiko was feeling around the masonry at the side for something, when a brick suddenly depressed under her slender fingers. The girl felt around and two more brick were depressed. "The lock on the door is a distraction; I once saw Nadoko-obasama operate the door from that corner over there and learned the secret."

Pushing lightly, the door swung open silently. Light orbs held in the mouths of stone snake heads set in the walls flared to life, providing illumination in the room. At the centre, sealed behind reinforced glass lay a sword upon a stand.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" smiled the courtesan, hopping gaily in her excitment. "It must be a great treasure of some kind to be kept here like this."

"The sword of Kusanagi," noted Sasuke after a moment of inspection. "This is, _was_, Orochimaru's favoured weapon."

Fujiko gaped him, but then went back to looking at the encased blade, this time in silence and with more reverence. Sasuke reflected silently that the degree of hero-worship this girl must have undergone whilst growing up had been intense for her to react so to just about everything that was related to his one-time teacher. Reaching over, he adjusted the collar of her kimono slightly, to which Fujiko immediately turned silent and gave him an amorous gaze.

"Is there some path through these tunnels that would lead us outside of the Rukongai?" asked Sasuke after a moment of consideration. Fujiko nodded and hugged his arm again, leading him out of the room. After some turns, they hid in the shadows to avoid a passing man before continuing on until they arrived to a large room that opened into a swift running subterranean river.

"This is the closest way out," she murmured, shivering against him as she looked at the dark rushing waters. "I have never taken it myself – by talk I overheard, it will eventually lead to a cave that opens out on the forests north of Seireitei."

"Then let us take it," said Sasuke, stepping into one of the many small boats nearby. Fujiko looked startled, but seemed unwilling to be separated from him and followed without word. With a pole, they pushed into the current and were carried away swiftly. Nearly a quarter of an hour later, as Fujiko had noted, they left through a cave and found themselves in the heart of a deep forest.

Fujiko fidgeted nervously, but also somewhat eagerly as she followed him whilst he looked about. "Is Sasuke-sama perhaps seeking something?" she breathed close to him, her words laden with suggestion.

"Yes," returned Sasuke, stopping, his tone a little impatient. "I think we're far enough now. This place will do."

Fujiko looked questioningly around. They had entered a more lightly wooded section of the forest. "Here, my lord?" Fujiko giggled teasingly. "Well, it certainly is a _daring_ place for a–"

"You can drop the act now," Sasuke cut her off. Fujiko blinked in confusion.

"I'm afraid I don't understand your meaning my lord."

Sasuke whirled suddenly, a set of kunai dropping into his hand, which he threw at her with vicious precision. For a moment, it seemed that Fujiko would be impaled, but at the last possible moment, she dodged, flipping and cartwheeling away, and deflecting one with the copious sleeve of her clothing.

"Being a courtesan must be a particularly dangerous profession for you to possess those types of skills," noted Sasuke wryly. "I take it, the chain shirt beneath your clothes implies your clients try to stab you quite often? Don't deny it; I already confirmed it when I pretended to fix your collar."

Fujiko straightened, her smile no longer girl-like and innocent. "And I was convinced my acting was flawless," she chuckled mirthlessly. "Did you bring me all the way out here to kill me?"

"What would be the point in killing the Orochimei of the Hidden Sound, if we are to be allies?"

The woman seemed to consider Sasuke for a long moment, before sighing and shrugging at last. "I'm genuinely surprised you figured that out as well," she muttered. "Was it something I said, or something I did then?"

"There were some clues, however, I'm more surprised you thought you could hide it from me by simple deception, as though I wouldn't be on my guard – you've got many shinobi in that place of yours, of varying ability, but no one even comes close to matching those enormous chakra levels of yours."

"Sharingan." Fujiko gave a cluck of irritation, even as she placed a hand on her hip and chuckled; with those eyes, he could undoubtedly have seen it. "Of course; I suppose it was due sooner or later."

"Do you fancy yourself Orochimaru's successor then? You could have chosen any name, yet you settled on a moniker of Orochimaru's name... perhaps you are upset with your founder not paying attention to you?"

Fujiko did not answer. They stood in silence; the Uchiha sternly and the Orochimei smiling enigmatically.

As though a sudden breeze passing were the signal, the two figures suddenly leaped into action. The silence of the forest was disturbed by the clash of metal on metal, ringing loudly and poignantly, sparks flaring beneath the shadows of the trees.

Sasuke ducked behind the trunk of a tree, even as a shuriken embedded itself in the wood where he had been only a moment ago. For one thing, Fujiko was extremely agile and capable of incredible contortion to evade his attacks, as he was finding out. A pair of shuriken whined by on either side of the tree, only to suddenly curve back, trailing a near invisible trap-wire. Fujiko smiled as Sasuke was bound to the tree as the wired pair of shuriken zipped around from the momentum, spinning the wires into a binding circle. Two pellets fell at the base of the tree and poisoned gas suddenly billowed with a hiss.

As the toxic cloud cleared, Fujiko approached and smiled wickedly to see an unconscious Sasuke slumped in the binding, only to blink in surprise when the figure of the Uchiha burst in a puff of smoke that cleared to reveal a log tied to the tree and two explosive tags already burning voraciously. The fireball of the explosion rose above the treeline, and a tree groaned and collapsed.

From his vantage point, Sasuke didn't bother to examine the aftermath – Fujiko had avoided the blast by tunnelling underground. So far, as he had observed, she was capable of water- and, now, earth-element releases. At this rate, they were likely to get nowhere by sticking to this evasive manner of fighting. Weaving hand-seals, lightning flared suddenly in his left hand and the air began to fill with the sounds of hundreds of chirping birds in a cascading torrent.

Fujiko's head suddenly thrust through the ground and she spat a sudden, slicing stream of water that cut through the heavy tree he was standing on with terrible ease. Sasuke toppled before he could gather himself to leap into the air, his lightning-release failing before he could stabilise it into full form. Below, emerging fully from the ground amidst the falling branches and leaves, Fujiko thrust her arm forward and a trio of constrictor snakes lanced at him from the folds of her sleeve, triumph written on her face until she realised Sasuke was grinning equally confidently. Her eyes instantly snapped to the ground and saw a surreptitiously placed explosive tag burning on one of the many branches that had fallen around her.

The attacking snakes flew awry as Fujiko was caught in the blast. Sasuke landed on his feet, cat-like. _This time,_ he smiled inwardly as he observed the situation through the smoke and dust. Formulating a plan, he brought his hands together to begin forming the seals.

Fujiko pushed herself off the ground, having avoided the full impact of the blast by using her arm-snakes as shields at the last moment. Crouching low, the kimono she wore was torn to tatters – more a clinging impediment now than anything – and she ripped the useless garment off, leaving her in only the mesh chain that covered her down to her hips, and a kunai in her hand held up for defence. Her eyes instantly snapped towards the sudden electric blue glare visible through the slowly clearing smoke. She knew what was coming, for the sound of this lightning-release attack was very unique.

Wisps of smoke clung to him as Sasuke came charging at her, sharingan glaring balefully, the lightning-release _chidori_ shrieking menacingly. Fujiko fancied that she could see her own reflection in those red eyes. "Beautiful," she breathed, like a maiden in love. "But naïve."

Her hands snapped together as she knelt suddenly, her knee slamming into the ground. The earth around her was suddenly rent and Sasuke lost his footing, precipitating him perilously. Snatching up her kunai, she stabbed him deeply in the left shoulder. Susuke went tumbling, his chidori extinguishing.

"Granted you have talent," she conceded as she stood over him, her voice almost gentle. "But you are impatient, Sasuke-sama. You are young and your inexperience shows. I may not possess your clan's vaunted sharingan, but I am not without means or jutsus."

Several painful pin-prick stabs struck her from behind in vital points that numbed her body and brought her down to her knees. Electricity crackled briefly from the embedded needles, hinting as to the reason for their effectiveness.

"Who said I was impatient?" asked Sasuke, walking out from the darkness behind her. The shadow clone in front of Fujiko disappeared in a puff of smoke. From where she knelt on all fours on the ground, her limbs cramped against movement, she looked between the empty spot where the clone had been and then to Sasuke approaching.

"Superb," she breathed, looking up at him beneath lidded eyes as Sasuke came to a standstill at a safe distance out of sudden lunge, laughing softly at first, but then with more vigour. "Ah! What a terrible man you are to have a lady in such a state before you... but for you, I will not take offence, Sasuke-sama. Yes, I definitely choose you!"

Fujiko's neck suddenly elongated and extended in ghastly manner, snaking forward with the paralysing speed of a striking adder before a shocked Sasuke could even react. Sharp fangs sunk into his neck, the pain of which was nothing compared to the agonising venom that seemed to spread out from the shallow injury. Chidori flared anew in his hand, but before he could strike, Fujiko had already pulled her head and neck out of reach, watching him from afar on that long, swaying serpentine neck like a monstrous rokurokubi.

Sasuke had little time to concern himself with her as it seemed his veins were filling with liquid fire, the pain so fierce that it was enough to break his stoicism as he doubled over on the ground, yelling in his pain. Only sheer discipline prevented him from panicking. On the left side of his neck, a circular pattern of three commas, not unlike the pattern of his sharingan, had form like a dark tattoo. Sasuke forced himself up and staggered away, dropping a bomb that rolled slowly towards Fujiko. Paralysed as she was, there was no way to escape it this time, and even through his pain, Sasuke managed a grimace of satisfaction as he heard the bomb go off behind him.

Slumping upon the grass at the base of the roots of a great a tree, his body was already starting to shudder uncontrollably. Somehow, Fujiko was still alive, though she had lost an arm and was badly burned; injuries all the more appalling since he had once seen her full beauty and the ruined contrast was now terrible. Almost enough to make him regret what he had done. _Almost_.

The Orochimei threw her head up to the sky, as though she would scream her rage at the effrontery, but no sound issued from her mouth. Instead, it widened and dislocated sickeningly, and to Sasuke's shocked eyes, a slender human hand thrust out from the now gaping mouth. Fujiko emerged anew from the ruin of her old body, untouched as she had been before the disfiguring injury. There was neither anger, nor outrage on her face. Only a weird, unsettling joy that seemed a touch closer to madness than true delight.

Try as he might, Sasuke could no longer control his limbs and the agony was quickly preventing him from focussing on anything but the pain.

"Don't fight it, Sasuke-sama," she urged gently. "I have given you a gift. A _rare_ gift, of great power."

The soft smile on her face deepened slightly as she saw a slight lull in the anger of his eyes, replaced by a questioning look. "You will not die," she promised as she came to kneel beside him, placing his sweating head on the cool of her lap. "This power was made specifically for you – the curse seal of Heaven – one of the strongest of its kind. I would have spared you the pain if I could, but great power cannot come freely and without cost. However, rest assured my prince, you _will_ thank me for it later."

Sasuke did not answer, and though he was quieter, his body was still shaking. Fujiko looked down sympathetically, brushing aside the dank locks of his hair from his eyes. She disengaged him and set his head gently upon the ground, standing up at his side.

"I cannot stop the pain," she confessed, her hand reaching up for the fixings on her shoulder, twisting them sharply. The thin, chain folds fell from her body in a heap at her feet. She knelt down, caressing his face gently. "But perhaps I can take you mind off of it's edge. Or give you reasons to want to."

"Stop," Sasuke barely managed to groan a protest with the little strength he could muster.

Samadara Fujiko did not heed him.

* * *

**9\. Revival and Dawning**

It was a white ceiling to which Tier Harribel opened her eyes to. For a brief moment, she thought she had gone to rest in her chambers and was now awakening again, at least until memory came flooding back to her. She tried to sit up, but pain convinced her that she was it poor shape for sudden movement, if not any movement at all. Movement caught her eye near her feet.

"You need to rest as much as possible," urged the gentle voice of Uchiha Ryūjin. "Those were some serious injuries you took and I don't know how much longer you would have lasted if I had arrived when I did."

Harribel blinked uncomprehendingly as she propped herself up on her elbow. The last she could remember was shielding her fracción from one of Ulquiorra's attacks. Then darkness. She had thought it was death. Too many questions started to assail. "Ryūjin, why are you... where am I? What happened? What happened to my fracción?"

"Please be calm," he urged, not turning to face her, but instead working at an injury on her leg. "Your fracción are fine. I can only surmise you were overcome by Ulquiorra and your fracción managed to drag you away from battle. They had carried you a mile away from Aegir when I ran into them. Ulquiorra was not far behind. I provided enough of a distraction to escape with all of you."

Harribel considered him briefly, but could find no deception or falsehood in his manner. "Can you move your sword arm?" he asked idly. Harribel tried and found that she could, confirming it with an inarticulate sound. "Good, then I got to it in time then."

Ryūjin turned at her, smiling graciously as he finished tying off a bandage on her leg. The gentleness of his face was marred by an ugly-looking dark bruise around his left eye. "What happened to your eye?" she asked uncertainly – it was such an ungainly looking injury that she simply could not associate a man like him having such a thing.

Ryūjin planted his hands on the back of his waist and stretched, yawning carelessly. "Something courtesy of Apacci getting a bit, uh, emotional." Harribel was about to ask, but he continued before she could speak. "As it were, since I can't use reiryoku to heal your injuries, I had to resort to more mundane methods. Which required me to remove your tattered clothes. I had little other choice you realise."

Harribel looked down, realising that with exception of her bandages, a sheet was all she had to cover her dusky body. "Your fracción were rather protective of your dignity – commendable virtues to be certain – but Apacci got carried away and... well, I'm certain you may guess the rest. Still, they understood I meant to help you, and I'm happy to report I think managed to sort the more life-threatening injuries. Then, I brought all of you here, waiting for you to recover whilst working on some of the smaller injuries."

"You've made me into a mummy," she commented, looking at the extent of the bandaging. "But thank you for you aid."

"Where it that I could have intervened sooner."

Harribel looked around. The place resembled her palatial temple in Aegir, but there was an important difference that could not be ignored. "Where are we Ryūjin?" she asked quite abruptly.

"Hueco Mundo," was his reply. "More specifically, Las Noches – the very heart and darkest region of Hueco Mundo – Baraggan's former base of operations from where he intended to launch his war."

If nothing else, she now had some way to account for the intensely high level of reishi in the atmosphere surrounding them. "I've never heard of this place. And you say, _former?_"

"Like yourself, he met with Ulquiorra. I was unaware of the matter at the time, to Baraggan's misfortune, though I wonder if he would have wanted my help anyway – given what I know of him, he would have likely tried to kill me."

"He would have," nodded Harribel. She tried to settle things in her mind for a space. Then she looked at her bandaged left hand. "Ryūjin, by any chance, did my girls carry away anything with me?"

Ryūjin looked at her questioningly, but, without comment, went to get a small box. Harribel could see her torn clothes within, stained with blood. He dug and riffled through it, pulling out her sword and then the small black orb that was the Hōgyoku. These he placed before her, and Harribel made efforts not to reach for the orb first, feigning ignorance to its importance.

"Something of importance?" he asked when she finally did pick it up.

"Sentimental I suppose," she answered evasively. "One of the few things I brought with me when I came to this land. A remainder of a time gone by for the most part."

Ryūjin nodded and offered no comment, and Harribel watched him closely for some clue that he knew or suspected the significance of that black orb, but he only returned a gaze of mild, almost child-like curiosity. "You need to rest," he said at last, in a tone more forceful than he had previously used. "If you wish, I can send in Mila-Rose and Sung-Sun."

"Apacci is not present?" She could sense the reiatsus of the two outside the chamber, but not that of her other fracción.

"I sent her to Aegir to find and rally survivors to bring them here."

"She agreed?" asked Harribel, almost incredulously.

"Not easily. But I convinced her that if someone with her... ardour, where to be present, it would serve as a convincing focal point for the hollows and arrancar that were under your protection."

For a time, Tier Harribel opted to be alone, though she knew her fracción would probably be desperate to see her, yet still she desired solitude. Ryūjin suggested to dismiss himself, and though she wished to agree to this, it felt as though the world would become far too empty and lonely in that sterile white chamber.

"Ryūjin, you do know you're a wanted man by your own clan, don't you?" she asked solicitously when the silence stretched for too long.

"How could I not be? I take it you had a visit from Saeko then?" he grinned, as though it were all a jest to him. She wanted to ask him what had really happened – to hear it from him if he could really commit fratricide – wanted to at least hear his side of the story. But Ryūjin turned away from her so that she could not see his face.

"It's a complicated matter," he said soberly. "One that I don't currently wish to discuss, if you please, Harribel-sama."

"Harribel is fine – I'm not the ruler of anything, anymore. Ulquiorra has taken everything."

"Not everything; you still have your fracción, and you can be assured that I'm on your side as well. Soon, Apacci will return with survivors who have been happy with your rule over all these years – you're the most beloved of all the Espada, did you know that? So you see, you have more than you think. Right?"

Harribel knew she was just being negative, but she didn't feel in the mood to agree, but stopped short of what she was going to say when Ryūjin suddenly poked her on the forehead. It was a strange gesture that was surprisingly warm. "Right?" smiled Ryūjin.

Guiding her by her shoulders, he gently brought her back down to rest position. "Rest now. When you recover, I have some associates I'd like you to meet. If possible, I'd like if you could lend us your power. If nothing else, we want to bring a new dawn to this world..."

Looking at him smiling so beatifically and radiantly like the dawn he was promising, Harribel could not bring herself to believe that this was a man who was capable of cold-blooded murder, and she had met a great many people in her time now. Many other things perhaps, but not that. It was almost as though she were looking at Aizen Souske, but without the ruthless qualities that so characterised him.


	5. Ch 4 - Pieces on a Board

**10\. The Shadow and the Flame**

As they had, since time immemorial, the two statues glared at each other in deadly rivalry to it's opposite, whilst, between them, the cascade of the waterfall roared thunderously as it dropped the nearly hundred foot fall between the two. The darkness of the night was at its zenith, though mitigated by the light of the stars and full moon that shone coldly on the carved figures in the deep valley, the waterfall, and the surrounding forest.

A cliff in the distance overlooked the entire vista, and, upon it, a man sat with closed eyes in a cross-legged posture of meditation. Though the gentle breeze ruffled his hair, he was so still that even the animals of the forest came close and a squirrel clambered his arm to perch on his shoulder as it chewed upon a nut whilst keeping an alert watch for danger from its perch.

The scene did not last, as the sound of someone approaching startled and scattered the creatures. From the darkness of the forest behind, a tall hulk of a man clad in dark robes embroidered with crimson clouds emerged. With greyish skin, small eyes, and teeth filed to sharp points, he presented an aspect that was not entirely human, but suggestive of that of a shark.

"Is that you, Kisame?" asked Uchiha Ryūjin from were he sat without turning.

Hoshigaki Kisame, formerly of the Hidden Village of Mist, showed no particular sign of surprise, knowing that Ryūjin was a sensor-type and would have probably felt him coming from miles away. "I knew I'd find you here at around this time," chuckled Kisame. "I hope you know that you have a lot of habits that can be exploited."

Ryūjin did not immediately reply, nor did he open his eyes, so Kisame took the moment to look at the gigantic statues north of them that towered over their surroundings. Though he knew the statues had some significance to Ryūjin, he did not know exactly what, though he had never thought about it until recently.

"Were you able to get the word out?" asked Ryūjin suddenly, but without demand.

"All the scouted members should have received it by now," grunted Kisame. "It remains to be seen if they'll actually come."

"They will," assured Ryūjin with certitude.

"And the pretty female Espada you so gallantly rescued?"

"Tier Harribel," noted Ryūjin, to remind Kisame that the Tres Espada had a name. "She needs time to think it over, but I'm likewise certain she will accept the invitation – like everyone else we've contacted, she has reasons to find the present state of the world intolerable and in need of reformation."

"A new dawn, eh?" Kisame chuckled, looking towards the eastern horizon where the sun would rise in the morning. "Well, assuming they all turn up, the Akatsuki will finally be formed and ready to move."

Ryūjin merely nodded enigmatically in response. After a few minutes of silence, he finally opened his eyes. "You have a question?"

Kisame regarded him curiously, before speaking his mind. "I've known you for a while now, Ryūjin-san; why do you always come here anyway? I'm sure it's picturesque and all, but I've never put you for superficial."

"Seven years can hardly be accounted along time," came the impassive reply, but the Uchiha shrugged indifferently to indicate he did not find the question intrusive. "Do you know anything about those two statues in the distance?"

"Ancient shinobi of some renown?" replied Kisame after some thought. "I dare say the one on the left looks... familiar."

"Perhaps he should," smiled Ryūjin. "They're not just ancient shinobi of renown; they're the first shinobi as the world understands the term. The one on the left was called Indra, and the one on the right was Ashura – they're the ancestors of the Uchiha and Senju clans respectively."

"I guess I can see why you'd find them to be of significance," reflected Kisame as he stepped up to the edge of the cliff, as though it would afford him a better look. "Never heard of them though."

Ryūjin closed his eyes, as though he were returning to his meditations, though he spoke on. "Unsurprising. Indra and Ashura were two thousand years before your time. Only a studious scholar outside of the Uchiha or Senju clans would have even heard of them, but both clans keep old records that can be accessed if you know where to look. The two of them were brothers and sons of the Sage of the Six Paths."

"You're joking. That mythical figure that nobody really believes existed?"

"He did exist," Ryūjin pointed out matter-of-factly. "And because of his decisions, the brothers came to blows, and the enmity was passed down to their descendants, however many generations removed. The Senju and the Uchiha hate and fight each other because it is all they have ever known, granted the Senju have always had nobler intentions and ambitions. It took extraordinary circumstances to bring them together."

"The arrival of the Hollow and the Shinigami right?"

Ryūjin nodded impassively to Kisame's query.

"So Konohagakure was formed, and, for a while, it seemed that the two clans would reconcile. But it was not to be."

"I guess some hatreds run too deep, eh?"

"In a sense. But so long as the two brothers remain at odds, it is a wound their descendants cannot hope to heal."

Kisame frowned. "What do you mean 'remain at odds'? Didn't you say the two of them are two thousand years dead?"

"They may have died in body, true, but their spirits persist and continue to be reborn into new incarnations throughout the centuries to live out their conflict."

With a raised brow, Kisame looked at Ryūjin to see if he was actually pulling his leg on the whole matter, but finally frowned when he could find no such evidence as Uchiha Ryūjin retained his zen-like calm from where he was seated. Finally, he shook his heard and chuckled with disbelief. "Sometimes I wonder if you're really here with us Ryūjin-san. Assuming I believe you, are you saying they're actually here with us in the world right now?"

Ryūjin nodded in affirmation. "I've been keeping track, difficult as it may be. I had initially believed my older brother, Madara, to be Indra's reincarnate, but it turns out that burden has fallen to Sasuke-kun instead."

"You're little brother?" Kisame's tone was doubtful and incredulous, Ryūjin merely nodded again.

"Likewise, I had figured Ashura's reincarnate to be Hashirama-dono. My battle with him convinced me otherwise. I've narrowed the possibilities down to two people, though I am more convinced on one of them over the other."

Kisame chuckled again, seeming to find humour in almost everything said. "I really don't know how to respond to any of that, Ryūjin-san. Still, at least I have a clearer idea of why you come here anyway."

"Do you really?"

Kisame thought on it for a moment longer. "No," he conceded at last. "Not really. Or should I say, not at all?"

Ryūjin opened his eyes smiling and the two men looked at the distant statues and listened to the roar of the waterfall for a while, until the renegade Uchiha broke the silence.

"I have a message that needs to be delivered. Would you be willing to do me a favour?"

Kisame shrugged and took the slip of paper that Ryūjin offered him. "Well, I don't have anything else to do until everyone gathers, so..."

"You have my utmost gratitude." A few minutes later, Ryūjin sat alone on the cliff once more, Kisame having left, but the animals did not return.

"Have you finally arrived?" he asked suddenly, though there was no one present.

Behind him, the ground was darkening, and from that dark patch a shadow rose. In general, it stood in the shape of a man, but there were no distinguishable features other than two baleful, yellow circles that might have served as its eyes. "I have," it answered in a gravelly voice. "I've already gathered all the intel you requested, Ryūjin-sama. Most of it was as you predicted, though there were some deviations."

"Oh?" Ryūjin seemed genuinely surprised. "Nothing major, I hope – I'm rather occupied with major undertakings at present and can't afford the time to correct them. Do you feel up to the task, Black Zetsu?"

"Nothing I can't handle," assured the shadowy creature. "Still, it's quite novel to see that you can be wrong on occasion."

Ryūjin shrugged. "I'm not a god you know – I have the right to be wrong every once in a while, frustrating though it may be. Well, the Akatsuki we've been hoping for is on the verge of being created, so I suspect we'll be pressed for time soon: show me what you have."

"Very well." Without further banter, the shadowy Zetsu approached and liquefied, covering Ryūjin like a second skin. If it was an unpleasant experience, Ryūjin gave no indication, enduring it stoically as he was shown the details of what Black Zetsu had learned, as clearly as though he had been there himself.

"Not as bad as I thought," noted Ryūjin once Zetsu had receded from him and had reformed into humanoid shape. "You have concerns though?"

Black Zetsu remained silent, prompting Ryūjin to speak.

"I don't see what your reservations might be; certainly the plan has been delayed, but only by a few months at best and a year or two at worse – rest assured, the resurrection of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya-sama is still well on schedule, all things considered."

"Why did you save the Tres Espada and offer her the place in the Akatsuki?" Black Zetsu demanded at last. "The plan originally called for the Primera Espada, Coyote Starrk. Even Baraggan would have been preferable."

"Sometimes it is necessary to improvise," returned Ryūjin, unperturbed. "We are uncertain as to the whereabouts of Starrk-dono, and even you must know that the Secunda Espada would rather see us dead, or try, than join forces."

Zetsu remained quiet and Ryūjin went on.

"You needn't worry – I will find a way to shore up the power difference. Not to mention, there are other advantages to having her as an ally; she'll bring with her, a host of loyal arrancar, and the Akatsuki will have a small army ready at its disposal. In fact, the more I think about it, the more this choice seems like the best one."

"So long as you don't endanger the plan..."

"I will not," assured Ryūjin. "I gave you my word, did I not? Since when have you known me to break it?"

"Your priorities make me worry on occasion, Ryūjin-sama. For instance, you risked a great many things to put your little brother in Seireitei. And for what?"

Ryūjin sighed and raised his hands in appeasement. "You're correct, but I do have the right to be worried about my little brother, don't I? The Uchiha clan are headed on a path of destruction, and I wanted Sasuke to be as far away from it has possible when it happens. Whatever the case, to use your own logic; as Indra's reincarnate, is he not too valuable to risk. Though they may not know it, the Shinigami will keep him safe for future use."

Black Zetsu remained quite for long enough to indicate his approval was not entirely wholehearted. "As you say."

* * *

**11\. The Sting**

With a sigh, Yoruichi settled back against the rock as she allowed the heat of the steaming waters to soothe away her worries as they lapped against the nakedness of her brown form. Though the waters of this particular hot spring was possessed of healing properties, it was for the privacy that she had come here for; located far beneath the Shihōin manorial grounds, it was a place few except for herself and a chosen few knew about. It had been a long time since she had come down here, but between the stress of seeing her plans balance precariously and then the incident with Captain Unohana, she needed whatever break she could get.

Despite the hectic nature of the night, she knew it was nothing compared to the inquiry that would take place the next day – likely, she would have to stand before Central 46 to try and explain matters. She wondered if the timing of the incident were mere coincidence, for it seemed absurd that the newly established Uchiha would dare to cause trouble on their very first day in Seireitei. Unohana had not been particularly forthcoming with details and a secret voice within Yoruichi wondered if the captain were withholding something from her: as Shunsui had noted, the captain of the 11th was one of the most perceptive captains, unlikely to miss detail of any sort.

Part of her wondered if that suspicion was little more than the secret fear most had for Unohaha; as a captain of the Gotei 13, Unohana Yachiru had a reputation for unmatched eloquence and integrity, which contrasted strangely, and sharply, with her reputation as a killer. As Shunsui had once put it; she was and always would be the diabolical criminal to exist amongst the shinigami – her power was a useful and immense asset to the Gotei, enough so that imprisoning her would have been a waste. Even today, Yoruichi wondered what deal the Captain-Commander had struck with her to become part of the 13 divisions.

"Youruichi-sama!" The salute was from a petite, dark-haired woman who appeared suddenly at the side of the spring, kneeling. Lithe in build, her hair was cut square at neck-length. Though pretty, her natural expression was somewhat stern, though it softened considerably when she raised her face to look at her captain.

"Oh, you're back Suì-Fēng; found anything of interest? Or where you just in a hurry to come back and see me again?"

Suì-Fēng was immediately flustered by the tease, until Yoruichi laughed it off. "I'm joking! I'm joking! Come on, let's hear it."

"Ah! Yes!" Despite herself, it still took the lieutenant several moments to compose herself. "We found the location where the Captain of the 11th fought with the unknown aggressor. Preliminary reports and sensing equipment indicate large amounts of chakra was used in the battle, along with reiatsu confirmed to belong to Unohana-taichō. At the very least, we can say that a shinobi of Jounin-class was present."

Yoruichi nodded, but mentally noted that in order to keep up with Unohana, let alone injure her, the mystery shinobi in question would probably be far above that of Jounin rank – although there were technically only five Kages in the shinobi lands, it was a poorly kept secret that several individuals had power to equal, if not rival them. At any rate, Suì-Fēng was continuing.

"The battle devastated a large portion of the surrounding landscape; several of the guard on the wall reported hearing and witnessing the battle from the distance –" _over two miles away_, reflected Yoruichi, _must have been a pretty rough order_ "–but despite damage, no traces of the assailant have been found. The grounds are so devoid of evidence that the investigation team suspects it may have been scrubbed clean."

Yoruichi was a little sceptical about that part for there had simply been too little time – it would have taken only minutes for the sortie group to reach the battle ground, and even then, Unohana would have been there on the scene and would have surely noticed any such clean-up attempt. Even so, she had little reason to doubt her lieutenant's observations, especially one as promising as Suì-Fēng. Again, she was assailed by the worm of suspicion, but quashed it before it could dig its way too deeply.

"In short, nothing really conclusive then," Yoruichi concluded idly. "Looks like we may very well have to rely on Kurotsuchi for this one."

"I'm so very sorry, Yoruichi-sama." Suì-Fēng seemed genuinely distraught at not having been of better service to her captain, to which Yoruichi blinked, taking in her lieutenant's despondence before breaking out in a smirk.

"No need to fret," she offered sympathetically. "If you say there's nothing to be found, I'll believe you; you're not my lieutenant for nothing, right? But I know what's going to cheer you up – a nice. hot. bath."

Again, Suì-Fēng began to panic, but this time Yoruichi was feeling far more playful and admitted no excuses from her. It didn't take long for Suì-Fēng to find herself undressed and squirming in the water, where she sat in a state of besotted silence lying against her captain between parted legs and feeling the more buxom woman's chest against her back. For her part, Yoruichi merely leaned back against the rock as though it were all inconsequential, sighing happily as she looked up at the far away ceiling.

"It's been a while since we bathed like this, eh Suì-Fēng? So far back in fact that I can't seem to remember."

"W-we've never bathed together at all Yoruichi-sama," Suì-Fēng managed to squeak.

"Really?" Yoruichi almost sounded disappointed, except for the mischievous sparkle in her eye. "Well no wonder! That would certainly go towards explaining why you're always so stiff and prudish!"

"I am not, milady!" Suì-Fēng managed to exclaim, half-turning. "I'm only worried for you dignity and status!"

"_Oho_! So you're interested in displacing me as Captain? I see, I see." Yoruichi seemed to ponder on this with mock seriousness. "Just attained your bankai and already having such lofty ambitions... how sneaky of you Lieutenant Suì-Fēng."

Despite the joke, Yoruichi's words only seemed to push Suì-Fēng into further consternation as she vehemently denied any such ambitions to usurp her beloved captain's place. As the last part of Yoruichi's words registered, her excitable state quickly died down.

"Y-You knew?" Secretly, she had been hoping to impress her captain by revealing it at the right time, that she had finally awoken her zampaktō to it's bankai state.

Suì-Fēng's disappointment was almost palpable, and Yoruichi clucked her tongue in annoyance that let her mouth run away with her and had said a little too much. "Of course I knew," she offered gently, "surely that much can be expected from the head of the Onmitsukidō, right?"

Despite the consolation, it didn't take hold very strongly. Yoruichi reflected that it was a testament to the turmoil in her mind that she had let such a thing slip when she knew it meant a lot to Suì-Fēng, who worked hard to get her approval in everything she did – it was endearing, but at times it could prove to be a bit overwhelming to live up to that ideal that her subordinate placed her on. Even so, Suì-Fēng's enthusiasm and faith in her was often her motivation to keep herself striving hard to live up to those ideals.

"I'm sorry," she offered, without joking or teasing, patting hear head affectionately. "I know it meant a lot to you to surprise me with it. But I think you already know, Suì-Fēng; I'm really proud of you."

Suì-Fēng shook her head and put on a brave face – a face Yoruichi doubted she would ever show to anyone else – and sighed: "It's alright. I'm sure I'll find another way to gain Yoruichi-sama's praise and–"

Her words were cut off as Yoruichi cupped her cheek and pulled her in for a kiss. When they finally broke apart, Suì-Fēng was breathing heavily and her cheeks were rouged.

"You don't need to do anything, except one thing," assured her captain. "I want you to stop standing behind me, and start standing beside me Suì-Fēng. I'm going to be busy soon and I'll need all the support I can get. And I'm going to be relying on your for that."

"Y-Yes!" Suì-Fēng piped, almost breathless, seemingly overcome by her captain's words.

"Now then..."

With those words, Suì-Fēng seemed to find herself lost in Yoruichi's amber gaze and watched mesmerised as the distance between their lips closed, at least until she found herself dragged underwater and viciously tickled by a suddenly over-playful Yoruichi. Water splashed loudly, interspersed with guffaws of laughter and shrieks of protestation when head broke the surface of the water.

When the tempestuous play finally subsided, Suì-Fēng found herself against the wall, in her captain's arms and very content to be there. Yoruichi regarded her gently and smiled, happy, if nothing else, for the distraction. There were a few moments of gentle kisses and tender touches before Suì-Fēng gave a soft, inarticulate gasp.

* * *

Fujiko gave a gasp and quivered for several pounding heartbeats before the remaining strength in her muscles gave out and she collapsed forward on the chest of the man beneath her. Delicately sweeping the dark strands of her hair aside and biting coyly on her nail, she affectionately regarded Sasuke, who was still catching his breath, and whose face in no way mirrored the contentment on hers.

Compared to earlier, he had managed to regain a semblance of control over his limbs, though it still seemed for the most part that it was an effort of will than anything else. He was just beginning to feel the pain again, though it had now dropped to uncomfortable ache that yet tightened his eyes. His hand reached out to Fujiko, seemingly for her neck, but there was no strength in the gesture and his shaking hand stopped inches away from its terminus.

Taking his hand, the she kissed the straining fingers and lay her cheek upon his palm, her skin cool where his flesh felt angry and hot. "Was it so unbearable?" she asked, almost playfully. Sasuke did not answer, but glared at her from where he lay, the ability to sit up seeming only just outside of his reach. Between having had to fight the pain and the... 'distraction' she had offered, it was the first time in his life that he had been both weary in body, mind, and spirit.

"What is the meaning of all this?" he managed to grate, after working to put some moisture in his mouth. "What do you want?"

Fujiko placed her hand upon his chest, pushing herself upright in an exaggeratedly sensual motion that almost forced a groan from him. "Is it that difficult to discern, Sasuke-sama? You're here because I wanted you here – your clan had no choice but to agree to my terms if they wanted the Hidden Sound's help – but rest assured; this is where you belong. Where you _need_ to be. Your clan can now only hold you back, but here... _here_, you will be _free_. That's the purpose of the Hidden Sound, after all – to allow shinobi to reach their fullest potential. Orochimaru-sama is gone, but now you, his favoured disciple shall take his place and by your side, I will make you far greater than he ever was!"

Sasuke tried to sit up, but the best he could manage was a groan as his body still proved rebellious and insensible to his will. "Are you insane?" he asked harshly, unable to comprehend or come to grips with what she was saying, and wondering just how sane she was.

"Is it so hard to believe I'm a maiden in love?" asked Fujiko, resting her dusky head on his chest once more.

Sasuke could not understand. Outside of his family, he had not experienced love, except perhaps once. Many girls had said that word to him, yet it was something to scoff at, for they never seemed to understand the burden of that word and spoke it so casually as though they could move him with the simplicity of that word alone. Sasuke had only ever known one girl to cry for him; cried on his behalf when he could not do so himself.

Yet now, he could not decipher the riddle that was before him, embodied in Samadara Fujiko. Nor was she flippant, like virtually all the girls he had known in Konoha; by comparison, they seemed like dolls, whereas Fujiko was neither doll nor girl, but full-blooded woman possessed of desires, ambitions, and taunting secrets that she all but asked he discover. She was a puzzle he almost wanted to decipher.

But she had taken something that had been important to him, though hadn't realised it until now. He would have been lying to himself to say she had not been... masterful in her exertions to take his mind off the agony of his body adjusting and finding equilibrium to the curse seal; for long moments at a time, he _had_ forgotten the agonising pain. And yet, this had not been his choice. As pragmatic as he thought himself, he understood that some part of him had been expecting, had been hoping, for another. Now that moment was lost. Forever. The realisation left him just a bit colder inside.

"What did you do to me?" he demanded stonily, resolving not to fret like a child. Whatever her disposition, Fujiko seemed to pick up on the tone of command in his voice and responded with a touch more deference than she had shown all night since her true identity had been revealed.

"The curse seals are a specialised application of _senjutsu_ chakra, made to interact with its user's own chakra to effect an enormous boost of one's own power. At its full potential, they can even effect physically transformations."

"And you created this?"

"I _perfected_ it," Fujiko smiled, as she began to pull his clothes back onto his body and fix them back into place. "The credit goes largely to Orochimaru-sama for having put the research into it and prototyping its creation."

"Did anyone else have a hand in making it?" pressed Sasuke. Fujiko seemed to think on this for a moment.

"Not that I'm aware of." For a long while, Sasuke weighed the advisability of challenging her on the matter – the files that he had handed to Nadoko earlier suggested that his brother, Ryūjin, may have had some part in it, for he had seen the pictures and some of the data from that brief moment he had browsed through it. It could be that she was genuinely unaware of the matter. Or else, she was lying.

He realised Fujiko was waiting patiently for his next question, almost servant-like in her manner. Part of him wondered how much was an act and how much truth there was in her words.

"How long before I can move properly again?"

"You've still many hours before you have full control over your body again, Sasuke-sama. But to walk? I dare say, it is possible now. With help of course."

Sasuke rankled at the thought of help, but no longer wanted to be there.

A pair of cool hands clutched lovingly at his face. "_Command_ me, Sasuke-sama."

The tantalising words tickled with a thousand unspoken promises. Looking into those pale, hazel eyes that looked deeply into his own, Sasuke could almost believe her. Yet his instincts could not overlook his suspicions – whatever she intended to promise, this woman was not one to give up power – she would give him the illusion that he pulled all the strings whilst working behind the scenes to ensure that hers was the only authority maintained. Samadara Fujiko was, whether she realised it or not, Orochimaru's creature, continuing his legacy from beyond the grave – she had her own slant on matters, but she was a manipulator through and through.

He felt empty and callous, and for a moment, almost contemplated giving her the command that he thought she wanted him to give her.

"Then let's return to the Ivory House; I've kept my retainers waiting long enough."

The Orochimae smiled, as though she had understood what he had thought and that he was now merely being willful, but obediently pulled herself from him, making them two once again.

* * *

**13\. The One Road**

"Although I don't have anything against him, to be honest, this is begin to sound like that fiasco that Aizen dragged us into when he recruited us for his war against the shinigami," noted Sung-Sun dryly from behind her upraised sleeve. "And we all remember how that turned out for us and the other Espada."

Mila Rose snorted and paced about, but Harribel stood at an open window holding the sheet close about her, looking into the bone-white wastes of Heuco Mundo beyond whilst her fracción debated. Everything they were speaking about, she had already crossed her mind previously when she had spoken with Ryūjin; when he had made his offer, she had not taken the time to rest as he had recommended, but rather immediately began to state her position and her hesitations.

_"Whilst having allies is a tempting proposition – all the more so in my current situation – I must admit that I reservations on the matter," she had told Ryūjin almost immediately. "You make your offer from a position of strength, when I'm practically at your mercy – such a thing seems less an offer of partnership and more one of servitude."_

_"It sounds like you've suffered betrayal in the past," noted Ryūjin._

_"I have," she returned with cold bluntness, unconsciously touching her midriff where Aizen Souske had slashed and stabbed her._

_Ryūjin collected his thoughts for a few moments as he saw her touch the long-since healed wounds, to which Harribel removed her hand when she realised he was reading into the motion. "I take it that it was Aizen Souske who betrayed you?"_

_Despite the pains dancing across her, Harribel forced herself to stand. Ryujin's manner was sympathetic and regretful, but his empathy felt like intrusion in that moment; a person prying into matters she didn't want anyone to see into. Aizen's betrayal had struck deep, though in hindsight, perhaps they should have seen it coming – the former shinigami had qualities that the Hollow held in high regard, qualities that hardly made for a good account of character. More so, of all the Espada to have died in the final battle against the shinigami, she alone had been struck down by Aizen himself, after having been declared too weak to fight for him._

Behind her, Sung-sun and Mila Rose's debates were heating up as was usually the case for the antagonistic camaraderie her fracción shared. Being lost to the present, Harribel did not interfere, and leaned on the edge of the window.

_Coming to her side by the window, Ryūjin waited solicitously for a moment before expounding his thoughts. "I can't be sure of what exactly happened to you on that day, but I find it curious that your fellow Espada, who fought the shinigami, died, whereas you, who was struck down by Aizen himself, did not. I may be missing nuances, but to be honest, I would have expected it to be the other way round."_

_Harribel glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, but Ryūjin seemed focussed on the desert outside and was continuing: "I've heard nothing except Aizen's power and ability – personally, I would not have expected someone so exacting to mistake a crippling blow for killing one."_

The Espada raised her teal gaze to look at the white dunes of the desert. It had almost been like Ryūjin were suggesting that by personally dealing with her, Aizen had ensured her survival. Just as it had been when Ryūjin had mentioned it, the idea angered her, though she reigned it in to present an image of icy civility – she had held on to that idea of betrayal for so long that to even consider something else, even if delivered impartially, was almost an impossibility to let go of.

_"Ryūjin, I appreciate you concern in the matter, but I don't wish to pursue this line of conversation for longer than it must. I am thankful for your assistance, and thankful for saving my fracción, but that does will entitle you to familiarity."_

_"Of course." Ryūjin bowed and spread his hands in apology. "All I wished to emphasise on was that you should not consider yourself indebted for my rescue – I would have come to make you the offer regardless – it was merely an unhappy coincidence of timing. Or perhaps a happy one; I am not unhappy to have able to be of assistance to a goddess, after all Harribel-sama."_

"Please be quiet for a minute," Harribel murmured. Sung-sun and Mila Rose immediately ceased the argument, as though the soft request had been an iron command. At the window, Harribel closed her eyes, trying to recapture the moment and those words.

She was reminded that that of all the humans in Shennincar, only the Uchihas had never referred to the Espada as gods, at least except for Ryūjin from his first day in embassy at Aegir with his father. She was certain that he knew, just as his fellow clansmen knew, that the Espada were not true gods as most humans knew the word, but he used the title anyway when others would not. At that moment, she was glad that neither of her fracción could see her.

_"I've told you already, just my name is fine." Her anger had instantly cooled, but she refused to look at him and she closed her eyes as though thinking on deep matters, though it was really to prevent him from reading into her just then. Ryūjin was quiet again, but even with her eyes closed, she could feel him looking at her in deep consideration. But when he spoke again, she was startled into opening her eyes from the deep gravity and portent in his voice._

_"If I tell you my story, my **whole** story, will you at least consider joining us?" Ryūjin was not looking at her, or perhaps he had turned away before she opened her eyes, but his expression was set and serious and moody like she had not seen from him ever before._

He had taken a long time, a very long time, and for once in her life, Harribel had been too stupefied to speak back. She had been prepared for something extravagant, even dramatic, but, instead, she had received the outrageous. Ryūjin's expression was set; there was nothing to indicate that he was making a bad joke or ridiculous claims – throughout, his voice had remained level and his demeanour matter-of-factly – so much so, that she could not find an opportunity to interject or object whilst he spoke.

Her first thought was to dismiss everything, _everything_, as a ridiculous fancy; if another person had given her the same story, she would have dismissed him as being insane or an incorrigible liar. But she locked eyes with him and was unable to make such an accusation to his face.

_"It's the truth, Harribel. All of it. That I can promise you."_

_Harribel winced, not for the story, but the use of her name spoken plainly, for it added a level of personalness to what was – if it were true – a very personal exposition of Uchiha Ryūjin; something she didn't want when what she wanted was to disbelieve._

_"Ryūjin, you..."_

_Something seemed to catch his attention. "I need to leave now, temporarily at least, as my presence is urgently needed elsewhere. I hope you will consider my offer, Harribel-sama. For my sake, if nothing else?"_

Though her gaze was tranquil, her fingers tightened on the ledge. Logic and experience dictated that she dismiss everything, take her fracción and whatever arrancar had survived the destruction, and leave and go far – Ryūjin was a madman, and was going to tear up the land in the throes of that madness. _And if he isn't mad?_ demanded a small voice in the back of her head, _what if it's the truth?_ Right now, she hated that small voice, for it reminded her of a part of herself that she thought she had left behind in the west across the ocean when Aizen had betrayed her; the part of her that had taken up Aizen's offer when he made it though she had every reason to be wary. She had thought that she had divested herself of it, but evidently not as well as she had believed and she had merely forgotten about it across the long years.

"Harribel-sama?" asked Mila Rose, sensing the uncertain mood. Sung-Sun was just behind her, and if she were more silent than her amazonian companion, the question was just as evident in her lavender eyes.

Harribel wanted to assure them, but didn't know what to say. She glanced at nearby closet that Ryūjin had opened before leaving. A dark cloak with red clouds embroidered on it hung in full display.

_"I hope you will consider my offer, Harribel-sama."_

"I told you not to give me titles," she grated as she turned back to the desert, willing herself not to look at the robe.

_"For my sake, if nothing else?"_

_"Why?"_

_He told her._

On the horizon, she could see a small cloud of dust and she could feel the distinct feel of Appaci's reiatsu, even though it was thin in with distance. If she wanted to leave, now would be the time...

* * *

**14\. Command and Challenge**

By the time they had made it back to the underground tunnels, Sasuke had recovered sufficiently to be able to walk on his own, and now Fujiko walked in silence by his side, clothed more suitably once again, as she quietly observed him.

They had taken a different route this time and these tunnels were not quite so empty as the ones they had traversed, leaving Sasuke to suspect Fujiko had already planned to have him visit underground network beforehand and had particular sections cleared of human traffic for their first walk. This time, the industry of the Hidden Village of Sound could more clearly be seen – ninja tools being forged; laboratories laden with experiments, many of which likely unethical; and Sound shinobi being drilled in vast underground training rooms and obstacle courses.

Most who passed by them offered great deference to the Orochmae, though Sasuke was not unaware of the curiosity in their eyes that was clearly measuring him – doubtless Sasuke himself would have been more than curious if he had seen Saeko clinging fawningly to the arm of some man whom he didn't know or knew nothing about, despite her position of authority. Though Fujiko's place was less than dignified, her expression was serene and chaste.

"So just who is Nadoko to you anyway?" asked Sasuke during a pause. "Another one of your servants?"

The question was apparently humorous to Fujiko, who chuckled. "It is better to describe her as an ally, and a very strong one who you would do well not to anger. She was originally from the Shimura clan, the same as the Hidden Leaf's Danzo, before circumstances in life brought her here."

Sasuke remembered Danzo as being a shadowy aide to the Second Hokage, Tobirama, and a man who constantly butted heads with Tobirama's favoured pupil, who was most likely to become the third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"I don't know much about her life before she became the madam of the Ivory House, but I do know she took it over to improve the lives of the workers and to create a spy network – information on the shinigami was rare before then and their was profit in selling it. Don't let that fool you however; she's still a sly old fox with a ruthless heart and calculating mind."

"Nadoko was here before the Hidden Sound, and Orochimaru-sama initially formed pact with her to begin making his village beneath the Ivory House. Since then, the Hidden Sound and the Ivory House have worked closely, almost to the point that they are indistinguishable, though they are still two separate entities. Just know that every dealing you have with the Hidden Sound will usually be known by Nadoko sooner or later. Usually sooner."

"Orochimaru must have had a lot of faith in you to have left you in charge of his village," Sasuke observed. "I'm surprised that his influence on you is so heavy."

"I suppose. I am his daughter after all." Fujiko disengaged a mildly surprised Sasuke and walked ahead whilst her charge had stopped in his tracks as though to re-examine her, though Fujiko merely smiled over her shoulder. "You needn't worry – I hold no grudge with you or you clan for his death – he was more a stranger than father to me and usually quite absent. Nadoko was more of a parent to me."

A short distance ahead, she stopped at a door. "Come Sasuke-sama; the Hidden Sound has a gift for you."

At her invitation, Sasuke entered. They stood atop a platform with stairs descending on their left; the circular room below large and the burning torches ensconced on the walls did little to illuminate outside of their immediate ring, making the shadows at the centre seem all the more deeper. Yet the gloom was not absolute and Sasuke made out three figures standing in the middle. When Fujiko came to his side, the trio immediately knelt on one knee, heads bowed low, their motions alacritous and practised.

It only took a moment for Sasuke to realise that he had seen these three previously: the powdered greeter with tarnished silver hair; the fiery-haired girl, Nadoko had identified as Tayuya; and a somewhat lanky, white haired young man with violet eyes he had seen for a brief moment when he had entered, now wielding a giant sword. Sasuke took a sideways glance at Fujiko, who had a certain sense of pride as she looked down on the three.

"And these are?" asked Sasuke returning his gaze to the three.

"The strongest shinobi the Hidden Sound has produced to date," Fujiko all but beamed. Though Sasuke looked on them without pleasure or impression, his hand unconsciously went for the brand on his neck. He knew the girl, Tayuya had one on her back, so it was likely that the other two also possessed such cursed seals.

"Sakon. Suigetsu. Tayuya." At the mention of their names from their mistress, each stood up in turn, eyeing Sasuke, who felt he was being weighed and his measure taken.

"What of them?" he asked Fujiko without looking at her, refusing to avert his gaze, thinking he sensed a challenge in the three sets of eyes turned at him.

"I give them as a gift to you Sasuke-sama, as part of our alliance. They will guard you with their lives and carry out your orders, or assist you with your goals in Seireitei and beyond when I am not there to do so. I will personally vouch for their competency."

"Do you think that I didn't come with competent shonobi amongst my own people?"

"Yet you require people who are both competent _and _knowledgeable about the ins and outs of Seireitei," countered Fujiko coolly. "You will find that these three can do so admirably."

"Perhaps," conceded Sasuke. _They'll also serve as your spies on my actions,_ he thought wryly. From their searching gazes, he could also tell that there was likely some small resentment at having simply being thrust into his possession like chattel. Folding his arms behind his back, he closed his eyes with a sigh, as though in pondering what to do. Fujiko eyed him, awaiting his decision.

The three were still looking up at the ledge, before realising that only the Orochimae was standing on it. Tayuya was wide eyed, whilst Sakon and Suigetsu took a step back as they realised Sasuke was straightening right in front of them, his eyes open and sharingan active.

"I understand the three of you might have reservations or protestation, however small or private, regarding this appointment," he announced suddenly. "Before anything else, I would rather have these out of the way: fight me. All of you at once if you prefer."

Sakon glanced at Tayuya, but Suigetsu frowned before voicing his objection. "Hey now, come on. What's with that cocky attitude. We all just met here and you want to fight already? Fujiko-sama has already said we're to serve you, so you can be sure we'll do just; is there even a point to all this?"

"I'm well aware you've been commanded to obey," returned Sasuke patiently. "But how well does it sit with you? All things considered, would it be reasonable to just accept an outsider, of whom you know nothing, just to take command of you? I'm sure that given time, you'd see my competency. But I don't have time; so show me what you've got."

The three exchanged glances, but were still clearly hesitant. Above them, the Orochimae gave no indication as whether she sanctioned the fight or not because all her attention was fixed on Sasuke. Suigetsu relaxed, finding little point in attacking someone so obviously high Fujiko's in favour.

"You're not scared, are you?" Sasuke challenged, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips.

Suigetsu threw up his hands in resignation and sighed with grin, and in the same motion snatched the giant sword on his back and leapt with a shout, his feigned calm nowhere in evidence. Sakon's eyes narrowed and he crouched to follow into the fray, Tayuya not far behind him, remembering earlier humiliations.

"Don't think one Uchiha brat is a match for the Orochimae's strongest!" snarled Suigetsu mid-air as he brought the great sword down in a shearing arc.


End file.
